


Tale As Old As Time

by kVader



Category: Deadpool - All Media Types, Spider-Man - All Media Types, The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - No Powers, Cute, Fantasy, Fluff, Fun, Inspired by Beauty and the Beast, Is basically that, Light Angst, M/M, it's very fluffy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-21
Updated: 2017-03-24
Packaged: 2018-09-26 02:31:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 10
Words: 28,058
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9858029
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kVader/pseuds/kVader
Summary: “She warned him not to be deceived by appearances, for beauty is found within.”





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Pizza_parker](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Pizza_parker/gifts).



> This is for Pizza_parker who gave the idea :)
> 
> And read this chapter with [this music](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y2W1g1QHFu8) haha.

~ * ~

Once upon a time, in a faraway land, a young Prince lived in a shining castle. Although he had everything his heart desired, the Prince began to feel weak and sick. 

But then, one winter's night, an old beggar man came to the castle and offered him a single rose and treatment for his sickness in return for shelter from the bitter cold. 

Curious by this, the Prince acceded at the gift, and accepted the old man in. 

Once inside the castle, the old man warned him not to be deceived by appearances, for not everything is what it seems. But it was too late, the old man's kindness melted away, to reveal an ugly wizard. 

The Prince was put under a hard torturous time under the hands of the wizard, until one day he was defeated by the Prince and the people working on the castle. 

As punishment, the wizard cured the Prince from his sickness, but transformed him into a hideous deformed man, and placed a powerful spell on the castle, and all who lived there. 

Ashamed of his monstrous form, the beast concealed himself inside his castle, with a magic mirror as his only window to the outside world. 

The Rose the wizard had offered, was truly an enchanted one, which would bloom for many years. 

If he could learn to love another and earn their love in return by the time the last petal fell, then the spell would be broken. If not, he would be doomed to remain a beast for all time. 

As the years passed, he fell into despair, and lost all hope, for who could ever learn to love... 

A Beast? 

~ * ~


	2. I

If there is something that Peter loves is the smell of books, both old and new. The way in which when you open it you can know how many years have passed through those pages by the simple smell and the color of its sheets. How it feels when you run your fingertips over the delicate material, feel the flatness when it’s new and the perfect irregularities when it’s old. 

For that and many other things Peter loves to work in the village book-shop, being able to help others find their favorite books. It’s a joy. Even his boss is great, old Mr. Coulson, who always allows him to take books without paying a penny. 

Many times Peter was so buried in the books that he didn’t realize what time it was and almost forgot that he had to go home to make sure his dad had not burned the house down. 

"Peter, look at the time," Mr. Coulson said, approaching, as he laughed to see Peter's dusty face as he read a book on the counter. "It's late, boy, go home already, your father must be worried." 

Peter shook his head and looked at the clock on the wall, it was past five o'clock, he gasped and stood up, almost falling as he tried to take his coat. "You're right, Mr. Coulson, thank you very much." Peter headed toward the door and turned around biting his lip to look at the book he had left on the counter, a bit hesitant. 

Mr. Coulson laughed, shaking his head and said, "Take it, boy, no one will come and ask for it. Besides, by tomorrow you will likely have finished it." 

Peter grinned at him, came over to give him a last hug, and took the book with him. 

The bell rang above him as he went out the door and immediately all the sounds around him came to life. Carts passing through the gravel of the ground, people laughing, others screaming from the windows so that those in the street could hear them. 

"Good evening, Peter," said the young Storm as Peter passed. 

"Good afternoon," Peter replied, not taking his eyes off his book. Johnny sighed and his girlfriend Gwen came from behind to hit him with a rag and then smiled at Peter. 

"Good to see you, Pete," she said, winking at him. 

"Likewise, Gwen," he replied, again buried in his book. 

As he walked, he dodged carts and pieces of flying bread, all without taking his eyes off his book. People said that Peter was a peculiar boy, but he paid no attention, almost giving them the reason, because he felt that he lived in his own world. 

"Hello, Peter!" he hit a strong chest, which made him stop his reading to look up and meet Flash Thompson. "It is dangerous to read in that way without looking at your surroundings." 

The tall beefy man gave him a seductive look and Peter simply sighed, annoyed. "Thanks for the concern Flash, but I'm fine." 

He tried to move to one side, but Flash stopped him, bending slightly so that their faces were at the same height. "When are you going to give me that date, Pete?" 

Peter looked around and noticed that they were being watched, especially a group of teenagers who swooned and sighed over Flash. Peter chuckled and looked back at the other man. "You know, there are a lot of other people who would be willing to go out with you." 

"Yes," Flash was uncomfortably close for Peter's taste. "But I just want a date with a particular person." 

"Yeah, well." Peter pushed him back with the book. "But I'm busy." He smiled at Flash and walked on, greeting Cletus, Flash's friend before almost running off to his house. 

Cletus bowed to Peter, almost drooling and then approached Flash. "Well?" he asked to his friend. "He said yes this time?" 

Flash rolled his eyes, he had such dumb friends for someone as perfect as him. "What do you think, Kas? Do you think if he had accepted I would be here talking to you?" 

The other shrugged and Flash rolled his eyes again. "Peter will accept one day," he said proudly. "I am sure. No one can resist my charms." 

~ * ~

Before Peter entered his house, something exploded inside of it. Peter flinched and tried to look in from the window, but sighed when he heard his father shout from inside, "I'm fine, nothing happened." 

The boy shook his head and entered his humble house, where his father was busy with his inventions. 

"Hey dad!" Peter said leaving his things on the dining room table. 

"Hello, son," Tony replied from inside the robot they knew as Jarvis. 

"Hello to you too, Jarv," Peter said, patting the robot and sitting on one of the chairs in the room to watch his father work. 

"Good evening, Master Peter," replied the robot. "How was your day?" 

Peter chuckled. "Very well, thanks for asking, at least someone is interested." 

Tony pulled his head from the robot's back and glared at Peter, the other just laughed. "I don’t have to ask," Tony replied, getting off the little staircase where he was standing. "I know you're always doing well." 

Peter smiled and stood up to watch what his father was doing to poor Jarvis. "What anomalies does Jarvis have now?" 

"Nothing," Tony replied in an almost offended tone. "I'm simply adding other things so he will be a good guardian of the house - and you - while I go to a job to which I was contacted." 

Peter raised an eyebrow and touched an exposed cable, the robot jumped and made a sound almost like a complaint. Peter shrugged. "Oops!" 

Tony glared at him and went back to the robot to continue his work, giving Peter big work goggles so he could stay with him. "What work?" Peter asked putting them on and taking a pair of gloves to help his father. 

"I still don't know. The note said that I only have to carry my work tools and that I would be paid very well, but I must go alone." 

Peter frowned and took a bottle of oil. "That doesn’t sound good." 

"A lot of money sounds good to me," said Tony, curling his eyebrows gracefully and Peter laughed. "Besides," Tony continued. "I'll be back in a heartbeat." 

Peter snorted and patted the robot again "You should pray for the contrary, Jarv, look how he has you." 

The robot sighed in melancholy, which made Peter laugh even more as Tony rolled his eyes, smiling. 

"When do you have to go?" Peter asked, tightening a nut. 

"Um." Tony glanced at the clock and his eyes widened as he climbed out of the little ladder beside Peter and ran to put his tools back in his bag. 

"I guess now," Peter said, leaning on the robot's shoulder as they both saw Tony running up and down the small house. 

"Shall we help?" asked the robot, and Peter simply sighed, leaning even more against Jarvis. 

"We should," but they both stayed where they were, staring at the other who was still running around like crazy. 

"I'm ready!" said Tony, standing in the middle of the living room with his suitcase to one side, his coat badly fastened on his shoulders, and a patch of oil on his cheek. 

Peter shook his head and stepped down from the little ladder, to approach his father and wipe his cheek. "Who will take you?" 

"Mr. T'Challa, of course." Mr. T'Challa, the wealthy neighbor of the town, or so he was known, for being the only one to possess four horses. Peter trusted him, because he was always helping his father in all his madness.

They approached the door as Peter fixed Tony's cloak and the other tried to put all his tools in the small suitcase. Jarvis followed them closely, sighing at the sight of his master's madness. They opened the door to find their neighbor lying in the driver's seat in the carriage. When he saw them getting out, he sat upright and smiled widely at them. 

"Hi, Pete, it's good to see you!" T'Challa greeted and Peter smiled. 

"You too Challa. How are the crops?" 

"Excellent! This year we will have lots of potatoes." Peter smiled and accompanied Tony to the carriage, where he helped him up, because his father - trying to hold all his belongings - almost fell. So Peter took the suitcase and once Tony sat down he handed it to him. 

"Be careful, okay?" Peter warned him, giving him a big hug before getting out of the carriage. 

"I'm always careful," Tony said presumptuously. Both Peter and Jarvis crossed their arms and raised an eyebrow, or well, at least Peter, Jarvis simulated it. Tony snorted and winked as T'Challa motioned for his horses to start trotting. 

"Don’t forget you're a human and you need to eat," shouted Peter waving as he watched the carriage move away. Once out of sight, he turned with a sigh to Jarvis. "We'd better go in, Jarv." 

He began to walk and the robot followed closely. "I'll prepare something to eat," Peter informed him, "do you want some oil with your salad?" 

The robot imitated a mocking laugh and rolled his eyes. Peter simply laughed. 

~ * ~

There was a lot of fog on the road and Tony was not sure if the address stated in the letter was correct. The road was quite strange and it almost seemed that they were going nowhere in particular, because all that surrounded them was forest. 

"Are you sure the address is correct?" Challa asked from the front. 

"It's the one in the letter," Tony told him, but even he was not so sure. 

They continued the search until they reached a point where almost nothing could be seen. T'Challa advised him that it would be best to try again the next day, but Tony refused. He needed the money to be able to continue providing for him and Peter. This was an opportunity he could not just pass up because of a bit of fog. 

"It's okay, Challa," said Tony, determinedly, "Leave me here, I can walk." His neighbor first refused, but after much insistence from Tony and seeing that it was getting late, T'Challa agreed, warning him that he would tell Peter if they didn't hear from him the next morning. 

Tony nodded and continued his way on foot, saying goodbye to Challa as he tightened the suitcase tightly against his chest. Once his neighbor was out of sight, he realized how lonely he really was in such a strange forest. 

He continued on his way, going down the paths to where the letter directed him, hearing scary sounds with every step and having the feeling of being followed the entire way. The sunlight was beginning to fade and Tony was getting worried. That was until he ran into a large castle. He looked at it confused, for it seemed to be the place indicated in the letter, but everything seemed completely off, since there was not even a light indicating that there was life in there. 

The gate was half open, so he decided to go in just to make sure if he was wrong about the direction. He walked carefully to the long stairs leading to the great front door, and as he did, he looked around. Everything seemed completely abandoned, it even made him sad, such a beautiful castle to be all alone in the woods. He decided that since he was there he would rest inside for a while, because the night was cold and it was already too late to go back home, and a shelter to pass the night didn't seem like a bad idea. 

He knocked on the door, but he didn’t need to do much more, the large door opened on its own, giving way to a large, equally abandoned salon. "Hello? Anyone here?" There was no response, so he continued "I was contacted to do a job. My name is Tony, the inventor." 

"He came," someone whispered at his side. Tony was frightened and turned quickly to find no one. 

"Be quiet, Steve," another voice whispered, and this time Tony was sure to have listened. 

"Who's there?" He asked, taking a golden candelabrum that had a blue nice handle in his hand to light his surroundings. 

"How am I going to be silent if he tickles me?" asked the candelabrum. 

"Oh, I'm sorry!" Tony answered, setting it back on the table and turning to continue searching for the source of... "YOU SPEAK?" 

Next to the golden candelabrum was a black clock with purple and gold pints, and Tony could swear that both had faces. "I probably stumbled upon a poisonous plant along the way and now I see visions," Tony said, gaping. 

"I hope you don’t die here, it would be very inconvenient," the candelabrum answered. Tony gasped and the clock rolled his eyes. 

"Steve, stop talking to him, can't you see that you're going to kill him from the fright?" He placed his wooden hands on his wooden 'hips' or at least that was what Tony thought they were. 

The candelabrum rolled his eyes and smiled at Tony. "We have to help him, Clint, he looks tired and with the haze out there it wouldn't be right for us to just let him go like that." 

"Of course he's not leaving now," said the clock -Clint?- to the candelabrum -Steve?- "The master probably already knows that he is here and now will not let him go until he removes the spell." 

"Spell?" Tony asked, bending over to touch the wood and the handles of the clock, who struck him with his wooden hand. 

"Hey! How dare you touch me like that?" asked the clock, completely offended "I know I'm irresistible, but at least invite me to dinner first." 

Tony was sure that this was a dream, that it was most likely that he was still in the forest completely unconscious because of some poison ivy that was making him see illusions. 

"Well, since we're here," said the candelabrum. "We should move to the kitchen, you must be hungry." 

"Awful idea," said the clock following the other, who was on his way to the kitchen, telling Tony to follow them. "Don’t you realize, Steve?" The clock lowered the tone of his voice and moved closer to the candelabrum. "The master will take him as a prisoner, and if he..." He suddenly turned to Tony who stopped abruptly because he was trying to get closer to listen to what they were whispering. "What was your name again?" asked the clock. 

"T-Tony," he stammered, and the clock nodded, continuing his march. 

"If Tony can’t fix all this, then he'll kill him." 

Tony gasped behind both of them and the clock grimaced as the candelabrum hit him with one of his candle arms. "Sorry?" apologized Clint and the Steve rolled his eyes. 

"I know you'll do it right," Steve smiled at Tony. "You'll find the way," he said simply and continued his way to the kitchen. 

"Why do you make so much noise?" A hoarse voice growled from the long staircase. The clock and the candelabrum came to a halt, and they turned with a grin at Tony, who froze when he felt someone stop behind him. 

"Who are you?" The voice growled again, and Tony cleared his throat trying to hide his nervousness. 

"I-I'm T-Tony, sir... Um, you, y-you reached m-me through a letter." He turned slowly, but the creature stopped him with a large hand on his shoulder. Tony looked at the hand and immediately jumped at the sight. It was a hand full of scars, tumors, and skin that seemed torn. 

"Do not look at me yet!" The creature screamed and Tony flinched, nodding desperately. 

"W-What do you n-need from me?" Tony asked and the Beast sighed behind him. 

"I need you to invent something that makes me look normal again." 

~ * ~


	3. II

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Btw. [This](https://cdn2.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/3581498/slack-imgs.com.0.jpeg) is how Wade looks like, or [this](https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/564x/14/b6/3e/14b63ecffbee211e120fd7d75b83bb60.jpg) but with light blue eyes!

Peter woke up to the fresh scent of coffee and toast and smiled immediately. Stretching his back as he sat up on the bed and stood, he scrubbed his eyes and put on his slippers. 

"Good morning," Jarvis greeted when he saw Peter coming down from the old wooden stairs. Peter smiled as he yawned. 

"Good morning, are you cooking Jarv?" Peter sat on the table as he watched the other run up and down the kitchen. 

"That's right," replied the robot. "One of the new additions that your father added before he left." 

Peter chuckled and got up to pour himself a cup of coffee. "Challa didn't tell you if Dad arrived well, right?" 

Jarvis shook his head and Peter hummed thoughtfully, looking out the window. The carriage was there, which meant he had already returned. 

"I'll eat something and then I'll go and ask him if everything went well." 

The robot put a plate on the table with toast and eggs and Peter smiled widely. Who would think that a robot would be so good at making scrambled eggs? 

~ * ~

Once out of the bathroom, Peter went downstairs as he dried his unruly brown hair, for someone was knocking on the door with very few manners, quite loud and without much patience. 

"Who is it, Jarvis?" Peter asked from the staircase. The robot moved to the front door and peered through the binoculars that had a view to the front of the house. 

"It is Mr. Thompson, Master Peter." 

Peter sighed while rolling his eyes and went to the door to see for himself. The muscular young man was flexing his arm to show off his bicep. 

"Come on, Pete, I know you're there. I can hear you!" Flash shouted and again Peter sighed, leaning his head against the door. 

"What have I done to deserve this, Jarv?" 

The robot shrugged and patted the boy's shoulder. "It's probably because you are what you humans call a 'cute nerd’." 

Peter snorted and turned to open the door - just a crack for Flash to see only his face. "Hi, Flash, now is not a good time, I'm kind of busy." 

"Why are you always busy when I find you?" asked the other, opening the door completely and smiling seductively. 

Peter rolled his eyes in a sigh. "I don't know, doesn’t that give you a clue?" he said trying to push Flash out of his house with all his strength and not achieving much as the other was twice his weight. 

"You look cute when you blush for me," Flash said, laughing and moving toward the living room. Peter sighed again. 

"Well, one gets flushed after using a lot of strength. It doesn't always work, of course." 

Flash simply smiled at him and took a seat, propping his feet on the coffee table and on top of the books and notes of Peter and his father. Peter gasped and ran to pick it all up. 

"What do you need, Flash?" 

"That you go out with this gallant bachelor on a date." 

Peter bit his lip to keep from laughing and put the things on the book shelf. "I thought we'd already made it clear that I'm always busy." 

"And when are you not busy?" Flash asked in a dramatic sigh. 

Peter stopped and acted as if he were thinking "Only when I sleep," he said simply before continuing his pacing around the house. 

Flash got to his feet and began to follow him with a pout on his face. "Then don't sleep one day and we can have a date." 

Peter chuckled and walked out the door of his house. "I don't know, Flash," he said, walking toward his neighbor's house with the other guy still following him. "Sleeping is very important." 

"If you were to marry me you wouldn't have to be busy," he said proudly, trying to keep up with the other. "You don't even have to read any more, because you wouldn't need a brain." 

Peter almost choked at the words spoken by Flash and decided to simply ignore them. "I like to be busy," he ended at last. 

Before the Casanova could reply, T'Challa was smiling in front of them, a hose in his hand as he watered the crops. 

"Good morning boys," the kind man greeted. Peter smiled at him and Flash growled because he was getting in the way of his flirting. 

"Same to you, Challa," Peter said, ignoring the growls behind him. "I came to ask how everything went with my dad yesterday?" 

His neighbor frowned and turned off the hose. "You didn't get a message?" 

Peter shook his head and his neighbor hummed in confusion. "I told Tony that if he didn't send a message, I would let you know what had happened." 

Peter looked at him worriedly and waited for the other to continue. "Yesterday I left him in the middle of the road," Challa said. "I told him that it was best to go back today, but he insisted, so I left him there." T'Challa looked a little embarrassed. Peter was suddenly very frightened. 

"I think I'd better go look for him," said the boy, looking at the road they took yesterday. "Do you think it will take me long?" 

"I should go with you," offered his neighbor still embarrassed. "It is the least I can do." 

"No Challa, don't worry, it will be fast. I'll just go and see if he's okay." 

"I'll go with you," said Flash, raising his chest full of pride. Peter sighed, he had completely forgotten about Flash. 

"It's okay, Flash. I can go by myself, really." 

"Take one of my horses," T'Challa insisted, directing Peter through his garden and into the barn. "That one is very strong," he said, pointing to a big, beautiful, black-haired horse. "I'm sure you'll get faster with him than walking." 

Peter knew that was true, so he nodded in defeat. T'Challa happily untied the horse and handed him the reins. "I hope everything is fine, Peter. I'm sorry." 

Peter smiled at him and waved a hand dismissively. "Don't worry, Challa, I know how stubborn my father can be." 

Peter was about to climb onto the horse when Flash stopped him. "It's not good for you to go to the woods alone. You're very weak." 

Peter took a deep breath and gave him a smile, trying to make it look as real as possible. "Thanks for your concern, but I'll be fine." 

He climbed quickly on the horse and trotted away without giving the other time to argue. "Tell Jarv, Challa, please!" His neighbor nodded and Peter got lost in the horizon. 

~ * ~

Peter could now understand why T'Challa wanted to return the previous day. The road was completely desolate, the trees seemed to follow him with furious eyes and the sounds that came from the deepest of the forest gave him goose bumps. 

The first snow of the year was beginning to fall and it was very cold. He followed the road as far as T'Challa had told him, and he came to where the other man remembered that he had left Tony. 

From now on, he had to follow the road almost instinctively because Challa couldn't remember the rest and Tony had done this alone. As he heard a loud howl behind him, he didn't even have to turn around when a wolf pack began to chase after him and the horse. 

The frightened horse began to run to no particular place, not listening to Peter's orders. They turned on a bend and the horse stumbled against a large tree root on the ground. Peter fell and the wolves ran behind the horse, which made Peter feel bad, as the horse looked very scared, so he decided to intervene. 

He got up, took a rock from the ground and threw it at one of the biggest wolves. The wolf turned, showing his fangs and slowly began to approach Peter. 

"Okay, yeah, great Peter, now what?" 

More wolves joined the first and the next thing Peter was doing was running for his life, trying not to trip over the big roots of the trees that jutted out on the road, until they came across two large gates. The place looked abandoned and the gates were open, so he decided to enter. The wolves stopped in front of the gates and although the doors were still open, they seemed to be doubting whether it was worth following the boy or not. 

Peter watched this curiously. It did not look like anyone lived there. What could they be so afraid of? 

He closed the door of the gate and the first wolf growled for the last time before returning to where he came from, being followed by the others. 

Peter didn’t understand anything, so he turned to look around. The plants grew uncontrollably, circling the neglected statues, and the rail of the long stairway leading to the front door. Everything seemed to indicate that the place was lifeless, except for a simple, almost nonexistent light that came from a room on the second floor. 

Peter slowly opened the large front door, leading into a big, empty foyer. 

"Dad, are you here?" the echo of his voice sounded around him, but nothing more. Peter guessed that if it was his father who was on the second floor, then he wouldn't hear Peter from where he was calling. 

He decided to go up to the room that had the light and see if it really was his father. If not, he would just go on his way, trying not to think about the cold and hunger he had. He was so engrossed in these thoughts that he didn't realize that someone was following him. 

~ * ~


	4. III

Mrs. May was very determined in her work. She did things carefully and always tried to keep her master happy because she knew that the poor man suffered a misfortune that he never deserved. 

The day she and her little niece came to work and live in the castle, the prince welcomed them home, becoming fond of Mrs. May's little niece as if she were his and always watching for them to be well. 

That is why even after the misfortune, the determined Mrs. May decided that she would do everything possible to give happiness to her poor master, knowing that the day that someone young, beautiful and kind would enter through those doors. She would make sure that person could see the truthful, sweet and beautiful man hidden under the dreadful spell. 

Thankfully she was not alone in this job and everyone living near the master knew what it was necessary to do the day this happened. 

Unfortunately the prince kept insisting that the only way someone would fall in love with him, was not seeing his true self, so he was determined to look for different inventors in his surroundings and even further to make him something that masked his physical state. It hurt her a lot, for no matter how much they tried to make the master understand that he was worthy no matter what his appearance, he always ended up getting angry and locking himself in his room for days. 

"Auntie!" Called her little cup, approaching her aunt happily, who was making sure the kitchen was clean. 

"Ellie, I've told you a thousand times not to shout," her aunt warned her, not paying much attention to her, because they were about to finish and she liked having the kitchen ready for dinner. "You know the master must be resting." 

"But Auntie," the little girl came jumping up and down. 

"None of that, Ellie, you know it's true." 

"But there's a boy out there." 

May laughed and went to the other side of the kitchen. "It's not a boy, Ellie. He's an adult man, another inventor the master called." 

"Nooo," Ellie jumped behind her aunt. "It's a boy, young and with beautiful eyes, very." 

"The proper way is ‘very beautiful eyes’, Ellie." May sighed, rolling her eyes, when Natasha the young duster came up very agitated.

"Nat, my dear, what's wrong?" May approached trying to calm her and the very happy girl began to spin. Ellie joined her and May couldn't understand anything. 

"Mrs. May, here it is, at last it came," said Nat happily, dusting everything around her with a happiness she had never expressed before. 

"What are you two talking about?" 

"May!" Nat shouted happily, approaching to dance around the confused lady. "There's a young and very cute boy out there." 

May looked at her, first without any expression, just processing everything, then Ellie and Nat nodded happily, and immediately May's crystal eyes lit up completely. 

~ * ~

The castle was huge and Peter thought he would have trouble finding the room that had the little light, but since everything in there was so gray and lifeless, it did not take as long as he expected to find the only light in the place. 

The door was open, so Peter simply pushed it a little. That was when he found his father. He was inside a cell, working hard on a table with his tools and the little light illuminating everything. It was obvious that it was hard for him to see, even with the big working glasses. 

"Dad?" Peter whispered, worried. 

His father lifted his head from his work, and his first expression was relief at seeing his son well, but then panic was drawn on his face. "Peter, what are you doing here? You must go!" 

He stood up and motioned for the boy to get out the door immediately. But Peter came up to him shaking his head and took his hands in his, he was freezing. "What? But-"

"But nothing, Peter," Tony snapped, gripping his hands tightly. "Go while you still can, son." 

"Dad, what are you talking about?" 

A strong growl sounded behind Peter and Tony began to shake his head. "No, please, the boy doesn't know anything, let him go!" 

"What is he doing here?" Asked the husky voice behind Peter, to which he turned to answer for himself. 

"I come to free my father," replied the boy with authority, trying to ignore the big shadow stalking them. 

"He is my prisoner and made a promise." 

Peter looked at his father and Tony simply begged him to leave, but Peter had never been known to back down so easily. "What did he promise?" 

The Beast seemed to look at him confused, but in the dim light, Peter could barely see his form "Invent something I need," whispered the creature, almost ashamed to admit it. 

Peter didn't plan to feel threatened, so he kept his eyes cold and stood up straight. "I can do that." 

"No!" cried his father from the cell, gripping Peter's hand harder. "Peter don't be silly, go home, I'll soon be there." 

"Deal!" said The Beast, and in a second he was pulling Tony out of his cell and taking him outside. Peter followed, but the Beast grunted at him to stay where he was. It was then that Peter could see the creature quite clearly. He had what looked like tumors in his body, wounds exposed on his skin, patches around his face and what appeared to be his body as well. His skin was cracked and everything looked painful. The only thing that stood out in all this was his eyes, sky-blue and resplendent, full of sadness. 

Peter gasped and turned away almost instinctively. The Beast immediately turned around, ashamed of himself. He growled again and left with Tony on his shoulder, leaving Peter behind, completely desolate. 

~ * ~

Steve and Clint watched as his master took the poor man out and into an old, spellbound cage, which he closed and ordered to take the man to the village. 

"We have to do something," Steve said worried. "He has not even started and is already ruining it." 

Clint snorted next to him "I want to see you try," he said crossing his wooden arms. 

Steve glared at him and they both shuddered as his master entered the castle again and threw the door behind him to close it, almost fuming from his nostrils. Steve looked at Clint and the other shook his head, the candelabrum sighed and slowly approached his master. 

"Ehem, sir." 

"WHAT?" The beast grunted, and the candelabrum simply nodded. 

"You know, I think it would be good if you could offer him something warmer," Steve suggested, following him once his master started up the stairs again. "You know, since he's going to be doing such a hard work, it would be nice to offer him one of the rooms." 

The beast stopped and turned to look suspiciously at him. "I know what you're trying to do," he growled. "I'm not stupid." 

"No one is suggesting that," said Mrs. May, approaching them. 

"That boy is not the one who is supposed to break the spell," said their master, angry at everyone for even thinking about it. From the moment he saw the young boy, his heart skipped a beat. He was perfect. His disheveled brown hair, much like his father's, but this boy's hair just seemed to have a life of its own. His lovely skin as silky smooth and white as porcelain, and those perfectly round, slightly pink lips. But what had caught his attention were the beautiful doe almond-colored eyes that seemed to look at his soul. 

"He's too beautiful," he finished, almost defeated. "And you've seen my horrible physique. He'll never fall in love with me, so leave the fairy tales." 

"But sir," said Mrs. May in a soft tone. "You have things even more special than your appearance." 

He looked doubtful at her and she continued with a gentle smile. "Your big heart for example." 

"Your lovely smile," suggested little Ellie, jumping up at them. 

"Or your great charisma," Clint said, approaching too. 

"Your eyes," Nat added as she slid down the stair rail. 

"Enough!" The Beast shouted and they all fell silent. "I'm grateful that you want to make me feel better," he said, in a calmer tone. "But that beautiful boy would never fall in love with me. The only hope I have is that he can invent some device that makes me handsome, even for a while, so that someone can fall in love with me and thus break the spell." 

He took Ellie in one of his big hands, the girl rubbed against his skin and he smiled. "It's the only way I can get us out of this." 

"But Wade, I mean, master." Little Ellie cleared her throat and her master laughed. "That boy is so pretty, you two would make very beautiful babies." 

They all laughed and Wade kissed her on the soft porcelain, putting her back on one of the steps next to her aunt. "Maybe when I get back to normal I can win his heart." 

He continued up the stairs and the others looked at each other sadly. Mrs. May glanced at Steve and Clint, and they immediately followed their master. "I insist on the room," said the golden candelabrum. 

His master looked at him with a glare and he immediately tied his lips, while Clint tried to hide a laugh. 

~ * ~

Peter looked at his father's tools with great melancholy. He didn't even have time to say goodbye to him. Peter knew he could build anything that this creature needed, but it would take time and by the appearances of the situation, it seemed that his captor had a scarcity of this virtue. 

It was cold, his coat was starting to freeze and the place did not look very cozy. The hunger had disappeared, given the circumstances. His mood had made him forget that there was something called dinner, not that he had to worry about it. Probably his captor was not even going to feed him and... 

"I'll show you your room," said the hoarse voice from the door, it seemed even a little timid. 

"I thought I'd sleep he-"

"Do you want to die of the cold?" The lack of patience returned to his voice and again he seemed to grunt. 

Peter decided that it would be best not to argue, so he followed, trying to avoid eye contact as it seemed to be something the creature avoided. The castle was very large. It had gargoyles in some columns and one or two paintings on the walls, but for everything else it was gray, almost dead. Even the lilac curtains that might have given it life before, were now torn and discolored. 

The other cleared his throat, taking Peter out of his thoughts. "That you are my prisoner doesn't mean that you can't leave your room," they stopped and Wade looked at him a little over the shoulder, enough to give a point. "Just don't ever go near my room." 

Peter nodded and the other continued walking. Wade opened the door to a large room, which Peter entered without saying anything. The silence lengthened and he decided that if he was to live here for so long, it was not a good idea to have a bad relationship with his captor. 

"I'm sorry about my reaction from before," he said clearing his throat, but not looking at the creature completely. "It was rude of me." Wade froze and looked down, where Steve and Clint were. 

"Tell him something nice," Steve whispered. 

"Um, I... No problem," Wade also didn't dare look at him. "I hope you like your new room." 

Peter nodded, gave him a small smile and Wade returned it, looking away immediately because the boy didn't deserve to continue to see his horrible face. 

"Ehem," Clint called him and Wade looked down. "Dinner," the clock reminded him. Wade nodded and turned back to Peter. Wade stood straight as if he were facing a battle field, and Clint and Steve just sighed, facepalming in the process. 

"Dinner will be served within ten minutes," he reported somewhat uncomfortable. "Maybe less." 

Peter bit his lip and swayed on his feet. "I'm not really hungry." 

Both Clint and Steve wrinkled their faces and hid behind their hands, because they knew the temper of their master and were sure of what was to come. Wade looked completely offended by those words and taking the door handle. "Yeah well..." he said calmly, almost giving hope to his employees. "It's not a request," he grunted and shut the door immediately. 

Peter huffed glaring at the door and turned equally annoyed to sit in the bedroom window. "It's not a request," he repeated sarcastically, "Who does he think he is?" 

~ * ~


	5. IV

The haunted cage left Tony right in the middle of the village, it bowed and then returned to where it had come from. Since Tony is not impolite, he thanked the thing and when it had disappeared, he ran to his house find Jarvis not in it. Tony felt a terrible panic, but he knew he should go for his son at all costs. Peter was good with mechanics, but he was still very young and his captor would not have the same patience that his poor father has with him. 

T'Challa was not home either, so he decided to run to the town, to the place most frequented by the men of the land. He threw the doors open and looked around, no one paid any attention to him, because Tony was always known for not being in his finery. 

In a corner were sitting Challa and Jarvis, drinking beer -Jarvis oil- Tony ran toward them, his breath almost to fade, but very little mattered to him. Challa and Jarvis rose from their seats the moment they saw him. 

"Master Tony," said the robot very worried. "I can explain. It's T'Challa's fault." 

Challa gasped and glared at him. "You accepted without any supplication, treacherous robot." 

"Enough!" shouted Tony, catching the attention of the whole bar. "I need help." 

Everyone in the bar looked at each other, as if thinking. For a moment Tony felt hope and was going to start talking, when the music rang again and everyone kept talking. He turned to his friends who were the only ones paying attention and sighed, they would be three then. 

"It's about Peter," he said, plopping into the empty chair in front of the small table. 

"What happened to the boy?" asked Challa now more worriedly and sliding a glass of rum across the table for Tony. 

"Master Peter should have come back with you," Jarvis said, feeling ashamed to be in that bar instead of looking for them. 

"It was me first," said Tony, taking the rum in a single drink. "The place is like a book of terror, full of gargoyles and creatures that speak and shouldn't." 

Challa and Jarvis looked confused. Of all the follies said by his friend, this could be next to number one. But they decided not to say anything and keep listening, because this was Peter's life in danger. 

"And then a monster, a frightening beast, with torn skin and the worst temperament, kidnapped him." 

Suddenly, the whole bar that had been listening in silence, burst out laughing, mocking the inventor's constant craziness. "Of all that you invented, Tony, now you build monsters too?" 

Again they all laughed and Challa and Jarvis looked sad at each other, for the look on Tony's face was of pure agony. They both stood up and walked to the side of their friend. "Come on, Tony," Challa said raising his friend by the arm. "We'll help you." 

And so they left the bar, helping Tony to stand through his fatigue and giving glares to all who laughed on their way to the exit. 

Meanwhile, there were some who listened with great attention, like the young Storm, who for a moment thought of running to save Peter, but again his girlfriend Gwen hit him with a rag for the simple look of love that the other had when they mentioned the young boy. Or the old Mr. Coulson who feared for the boy, but his old age would not allow him to do much to help the kid. 

But there was someone specific who listened with even more attention, someone who was determined to win the young Peter's heart, and for him to agree on going on a date with him because Peter was the only person in town who didn't melt from his charms and that was unacceptable. 

"Did you hear that, Kas?" his scrawny friend nodded, and Flash patted his shoulder, almost hard enough to make him unsteady on his feet. 

"Your beloved is in danger, Flash. What a pity, Now you won't be able to have a date with him." 

Flash rolled his eyes and growled, "Do not be an idiot, Kas. Don't you understand? This is my chance." The other looked at him still confused, so Flash continued. "I must save Peter," he announced, hitting the old wooden table with his fist, which almost gave way from the blow. "If I do, he will not be able to resist me and he will have to go out with me on a date." 

"He wouldn't be busy anymore," agreed Kas, happy for his friend. 

"Only with me, of course," said Flash, standing up and feeling proud of his great intelligence. "Just imagine it, Kas." 

The young man changed his position to take the one he always uses when he imagines what Flash asks him to imagine and nodded so that the other knew he was ready. 

"Me, overcoming that horrible monster," Flash said, raising his chest. 

"If it exists," Kas clarified and Flash gave him a cold glance, so he decided to close his mouth. 

"Tearing his skin off and putting it on my shoulder like the champion, and Peter, beautiful Peter," he sighed looking at nothing in particular. Kas turned to see if it was that the boy had already returned, but Flash continued in a stronger tone that made him jump in his seat. 

"Melting for me, looking at me with those beautiful eyes, _my hero_ he would say jumping to me," Kas thought it was strange to imagine Peter doing that, but he didn't say anything, and let the other continue. "And I... I lift him with my big and muscular arms." 

He sighed again and Cletus mimicked him. "Sounds great, Flash." 

"It sounds perfect, Kas," said the other, annoyed that his friend didn't realize that everything that came out of his mouth was the best plan. "It will be so perfect that Peter will not be able to resist my charms and he will have no choice but to agree to go on a date with me, and then we will get married," Flash finished triumphantly, taking his beer and giving it a long drink before throwing it to the floor. 

Kas simply applauded excitedly. He had such a clever friend. 

~ * ~

Peter didn't want to go down to dinner, he wasn't even hungry anymore, how could he be? He was being held prisoner in an enchanted castle until he could build something for his captor that could make him appear "normal", at least in the man's words. He would never see his father again, it was most likely, for this creature would never leave him free after finishing his request. 

"Good evening," said a sweet voice from the door. "Can we come in?" 

Peter turned from the window where he was sitting to look at those who were coming. "It's okay," he said, and a pretty porcelain teapot popped in, followed by a small cup. 

"Sorry to interrupt, dear," she said, moving away from the door so that a long wooden coat rack came with his father's suitcase in one of its holders. He wore a hat on top and a scarf covering a little lower, he looked like a gentleman and Peter could not help but smile. 

"Am I imagining all this?" Peter asked as the teapot poured tea over into the small cup. 

"No," said the little cup, jumping up to him until Peter took it in his hands. "We are very real." 

"What happened to you?" Peter asked, taking a sip of the tea and smiling as it tickled the little girl. 

"It's a long story, dear," the teapot replied, pushing Peter's shoes and cloak onto the coat rack, who placed them in his wooden arms. "They're dirty and wet, take them to dry please." The coat rack bowed slightly and then left the room with Peter's things. 

"You don't need to worry about me." Peter put the cup next to him by the window. "I just came to work and then maybe I'll leave." 

"We always treat our guests well," the teapot came a little closer and made a slight bow as to not spill the tea. "My name is Mrs. May and this little one here is Ellie, my niece." 

The cup also bowed and Peter giggled. "I am Peter," he said at last, they were being kind to him, the least he could do was tell them his name. 

"It's a pleasure, Peter." Mrs. May smiled at him and Peter returned it "The master is a good person, dear, you just have to have some patience." Peter looked at his hands, not wanting to talk about it, but Mrs. May was insistent. "You must understand that his life has not been very simple, but he has a big heart." 

Peter sighed and smiled at the women in the room. "You're coming to ask me to come down to dinner, aren’t you?" 

They both laughed as Ellie stepped down from the window to stand next to her aunt. "It's just dinner," said the little girl "Mr. Thor is a great chef, he makes delicious food." 

Peter smiled and sighed again, scratching his messy hair. A dinner wouldn't hurt anyone, right? Besides, it was important to create a good relationship with his captor if he really wanted to get out of that castle alive. At last, he gave up and stood up. 

"Well," he said, wiping his clothes that were too dirty to actually accomplish something. "I'll have to rely on your word." 

The other two smiled broadly and the cup began to jump very happily. Mrs. May went to the door. "I must call Mr. Sam. He is a great tailor and can do anything that suits you," she was about to call the named Mr. Sam when Peter stopped her. 

"It won't be necessary, I will go with my own clothes," he really did not feel like accepting more things from this whole situation. "As I said before, I am here to work, this is not a date." 

Mrs. May smiled and nodded. She is old and knows that these things take time; she didn't plan to push the matter. Unfortunately her little niece was still very young and she still didn't have the malice to think before announcing what her young mind thought, so when she sighed sadly by her side, it was too late for May to stop her and the girl simply said. 

"But you must fall in love." 

Peter raised both eyebrows in surprise and Mrs. May started to giggle nervously beside the girl, causing her to cough when the girl continued saying. "You are very kind and my master deserves someone as pretty as you." 

"That's enough, Ellie," her aunt muttered, pushing the little cup out the door and smiling awkwardly at Peter. "Kids, right?" she said simply and Peter only blinked several times before she closed the door behind her, giving a small tap with the mouthpiece of her teapot to the girl. 

"Ouch!" the girl complained, holding out her tongue to her aunt. "I do not like waiting for so long, they should kiss already." 

"Um..." Peter was standing at the door listening to the conversation. 

May gasped and Ellie chuckled. "Dinner," said May flustered. "It will get cold, and the master must be waiting." 

~ * ~

Wade was sitting on his side of the table, his hands tapping the thick wood and his leg moving uncontrollably. Peter wouldn't come down and he did not have to be here waiting for him with his heart on the verge of overflowing. He was wearing a fancy black suit that covered his wrists, then dark red gloves to cover the rest and a long cloak the same color as the gloves on his shoulders and head, using it to cover his face as much as possible, only a little of his chin and neck could be seen under the warm light of the fireplace that was next to the table. 

"Why should I sit here and wait if he's not coming?" He groaned at Clint and Steve, who cringed. 

"He must be getting ready," Steve tried to calm him. 

"Maybe he was sleeping and he's just waking up," Clint said with a shrug. 

"Why would he sleep if I told him we were going to eat?" Wade growled angrily and Steve hit the clock with one of his candles. The other flinched, stroking the affected area with his wooden arm. 

"I'm sure he'll come soon," Steve continued, trying to sound calm. "Maybe while we wait, we could practice some lines." 

"And change the tone of your voice a little," offered Clint, almost in a whisper. 

"What's wrong with my voice?" Wade grunted even louder. 

The clock shrugged, laughing nervously. "I don't know, you tell me." 

The candelabrum cleared his throat and glared at Clint, who grimaced. Steve climbed up to the table and smiled at his master. "Maybe when the boy shows up, you could announce to him in a sweet way that you were waiting for him, but not angry, just-"

"How am I not going to be angry if the food is probably already cold?" asked his master angrily. Clint chuckled and Steve resisted throwing a loaf of bread at him. 

"Well, it's simple modesty," the candelabrum smiled at him and Wade rolled his eyes in a tantrum. 

"Whatever," he said simply. Steve smiled broadly and gave Clint a sly look, who only stuck out his tongue. 

Someone cleared their throats behind them and they all turned around. It was Mrs. May, being followed by the young boy, who was looking around in astonishment. Steve cleared his throat and Wade looked at him confused. 

"Stand up and remove the chair from the table so he can sit." 

Wade rose in an almost brusque motion, his eyes wide and almost panicked, he stood up straight. Peter was frightened by the sudden movement and gasped, looking at the other scared. Mrs. May gave her master a scolding look, and he grimaced, clearing his throat. 

"I was waiting for you," he said trying for it to sound like a compliment, but the growl in his voice didn't disappear. 

"Well," said Peter, looking to the side a little annoyed. "Sorry, I was not even coming, they convinced me." 

He pointed to Mrs. May and Ellie. Wade turned angrily toward Steve, who lifted and lowered his arms, motioning for him to take deep breaths. Wade rolled his eyes and let out a huff from his nostrils. 

"The chair," Clint whispered as Peter looked more closely at the hand-made details on one of the columns. 

Wade nodded and walked to the side of the long table where Peter had to sit, clearing his throat as he moved the chair back. Peter looked at him and frowned, he didn't expect that. He walked up slowly and clearing his throat gave the other a slight smile. 

"Thank you," he said just before he sat down. Wade nodded at him and pushed the chair back to the table in a sudden movement, his intention was to be gentle, but Peter ended up flinching in his chair. 

Then in silence, Wade walked to his own side of the table and sat down, not daring to look in Peter's direction and trying to cover his face with the coat as much as possible. 

"Nice coat," he heard the boy say and looked up from where he had his eyes locked on the table. Peter felt a chill in his body, but he tried to hide it, Wade's eyes were almost penetrating. 

"Thanks," said the other, almost inaudible to Peter. 

A wooden cart came up with some silver bowls on top, covers placed on the plates to keep the food warm. In the middle of the wagon there was a flower, Wade began to uncover the dishes. There was toasted bread in strips and dinner was a hot soup for the cold night. There was tea to drink, served by none other than Mrs. May. 

The pot with soup moved next to Wade and a soup spoon poured the substance onto the bowl in front of the man, Wade thanked it and immediately began to eat. 

Steve cleared his throat next to him, but Wade ignored him first, very interested in his food, so Steve did it again, this time trying to make it sound stronger. Wade stopped and looked at him confused with a piece of bread in his mouth. Steve looked at the flower and then back to his master. Wade frowned and Steve sighed. "Offer him the flower, Master Wade." 

Wade opened his eyes wide and turned to look at Peter, who was smiling at the spoon serving the soup with no human help, his eyes almost shining from the fascination of what he saw around him. 

Wade turned back to Steve, he was completely blushing from the simple idea of giving a flower to that beautiful creature. Clint chuckled and Steve indicated with his steel hands to do so. Wade swallowed the piece of bread that was resting on his cheek and taking the flower in his gloved hands, approached hesitantly toward Peter, who was studying the spoon in his hand, trying to make sure it didn't have life like almost everything else in that house. 

Wade cleared his throat and Peter looked at him confused, so the creature simply stretched out his hand with the flower between his large gloved fingers right in front of Peter's face. 

The boy almost squinting to be able to see what it was and a huge blush grew on his cheeks when he managed to decipher it. "Um, thank you." he said, taking the flower in his hands and smiling at Wade, who only looked at him once timidly and then returned to his place at the table to continue eating without looking at Peter. 

The boy smiled and looked at the flower in his hands. It was a beautiful blue lily. He put it to his nose to smell it. It had a very sweet scent and its color was very striking, he couldn't help but smile even more. "It's beautiful," he murmured. 

Wade looked at him shyly under the cloak and a small smile drawn on his lips, but said nothing. Peter set the flower aside and decided that it was best to start eating. 

"What exactly do you want me to do?" asked Peter before taking a tablespoon of the soup. It tasted delicious, the chef was really good. He smiled at Ellie who winked at him with an 'I told you so' look. 

"I already explained to you," Wade said simply, because the last thing he wanted was to have to explain why he needs that, even less to this boy. 

"You did not give me many details." Peter broke a piece of bread and dipped it into the soup. Wade looked at this with fascination. Then the boy bit the bread and licked his lips. Wade wondered what bread might taste like that way, because the boy seemed to enjoy it. 

Peter noticed that Wade was looking at him and blushed. "I'm sorry" he said, leaving the bread aside. "I forgot it was rude to do that." 

Wade shook his head and took his own piece of bread to imitate him, sinking it into his own soup and then directing it to his mouth to bite it and flavor what the boy seemed to like so much. It was delicious. Peter simply smiled and continued to eat. 

"You did not answer my question," continued Peter without realizing that the subject bothered the other. After all, he just came to work here, he couldn't do it if he didn't know the details of what he should do. 

He looked up and Wade had stopped eating, so Peter frowned. He didn't understand what he had said or done to provoke that. He was going to ask, but Wade was ahead of him. "I want you to make something that changes my appearance, I already told you." 

Peter bit his lip and knew that his big mouth was going to betray him, but he had to know. "Why?" 

Wade seemed to freeze and his body began to tighten. "It's none of your business." 

"Well," Peter didn't understand why not, if he was going to create something, he had to know what the purpose was, so he decided that was what he would say. "If I plan to invent something, I should know what its purpose will be, don't you think?" 

Wade hit the table suddenly, making Peter gasp and look at him with frightened eyes. Wade refrained from yelling at him when he saw that. He had to remember that it was not the boy's fault that he was a monster, but still he had no need to give more details. "I really can't see why it's your business." 

Peter suddenly felt annoyed and looked at him rather angry. "It's necessary in order to know what you want." 

"To look normal, what the hell don't you understand about that?" Wade shouted, getting to his feet and his hands turning into fists on the table. 

The boy looked at him scared and Wade could not bear to see that anymore, the least he wanted was to scare him. "I'll go to sleep now," he announced and without saying another word he headed for the exit of the dining room to go up to his room. 

Peter looked at his plate and suddenly lost his appetite, then looked around and noticed that everyone was looking at him. "I'm sorry," he murmured, looking down at his lap. 

"It's not your fault, sweetheart," May said in a sweet, welcoming tone. "Like I said before, you have to have patience. I'm sure tomorrow he will explain things better." 

Peter nodded and smiled at her, but then looked down again, kind of ashamed. "I think I'm not hungry anymore," he said timidly. "Can I go back to my room?" 

"Of course," Steve said, coming up to smile at the boy. "Go rest, you'll have a lot of work tomorrow." 

Peter gave them all a smile and then stood up, retiring without saying anything more to his room. The others looked at each other sadly, hoping that the next day everything would be better. 

~ * ~

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's the thing, I don't know how often to post this story haha, I had never posted a story that was already finished.
> 
> So I will start posting it on Fridays? Maybe haha I don't know, you tell me.


	6. V

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for the beautiful comments ❤!

Peter woke up the next day determined to work hard all day without disturbing anyone. The sooner he finished, the greater his chances of getting out alive from this strange castle. 

He decided not to ask the other man anymore and simply do what he was asked for 'something that made him look normal'. He went to read the notes that his father had written the night he was in the castle. As Peter thought, Tony had designed a watch that could transform _'The Beast'_ \- that's how his father called him in his notes - into a normal being, at least in the outside, until the other could break the spell. 

There was a picture between the notes, a worn-out painting of a blond and blue-eyed young man, attractive and with all his life ahead. Peter guessed that was the Beast before the spell and that’s how he wanted to look with the invention. 

What was that spell about? Peter didn’t know. How would helping this creature look normal break it? He didn’t know that either. But he was not going to ask again. The other had made it very clear that it was none of Peter's business, so he would just do his job and then get out of there as soon as he could. 

He worked all morning. Mrs. May brought him food and he ate it while he worked. At one point in the afternoon the well-known designer Mr. Sam came to make him new clothes. Peter stopped doing his work (very reluctantly) because they had to take the measurements. 

Mr. Sam was a black and silver sewing machine except that instead of the name of the company that made it, it read 'Falcon' in red letters. Peter thought it was a very elegant machine and let him know. 

"The style is maintained even after a spell, kid," the tailor said with a wink, while a measuring tape slid around Peter's body like a snake, making him laugh as it passed through the areas where he was ticklish. 

Once finished with the measurements, they began to create the clothes in the same room where Peter was working. Of course they distracted him the entire time, because to Peter it was fascinating to see how the small piece of chalk danced around the fabric, making marks with his measurements, followed by the scissors, which cut without any hand that would guide it. Then the thread was put in place and allowed Sam to sew with the necessary delicacy, buttons, ribbons and elastics were coming in a row so that Sam could put them in place until finally a shirt, pants, a vest, even a coat and a beret were ready. 

Peter could not help but smile at the sight of his new clothes being gently placed on his bed by Mr. Coat rack. Then they all bowed and went out one by one. The last one was Sam, who before leaving turned to him. "I'll make you more clothes, Peter," he said excitedly. "You have an ideal body for everything I've always wanted to design." 

Peter laughed and thanked him, then the door closed and he simply shook his head and continued his work. 

~ * ~

The rose was close to withering, the last remaining petals did not seem to have much strength and it was obvious to Wade that time was running out. Why had he let the older inventor go? It was clear that if anyone could invent what he asked for was the other man... Then why did he accept that Peter stay instead? 

Sitting in his dark room, staring at the only bright thing in it, he couldn’t help but think how naive he had been. Did he really ever have the illusion of believing that Peter might love him? 

He sighed and lifted the mirror that was next to the rose on the small table. "Show me the boy," he asked and the mirror obeyed, emanating a magical glow before showing Peter in his room. 

Big glasses covered his beautiful eyes and he had oil stains on his face and arms, not to mention what had once been a white shirt. He would push up the sleeves to his elbows constantly and bite his lip like a little habit while trying to concentrate more than humanly possible. He scratched the already messy hair and placed his hands on his hip with a sigh, watching the clutter of tools in front of him. 

Wade's dog and cat rushed in as they barked and mewled - or rather, a mop running and barking and messy pile of various yarn was mewing to escape from the dog - around Peter. 

"No, stop, bad boys!" he said, but failed miserably when his feet tangled between the cat's yarn and fell down, sitting in the middle of the two. The cat ran out the door and the dog stood beside him, panting and licking him happily. Peter laughed and shook his head. "You're a good boy." 

Wade could not help the smile on his lips and put the mirror back on the table with a big sigh. How could he ever think that someone as perfect as Peter could love a monster like him? 

~ * ~

Peter realized that he needed certain tools, so he decided that in order not to disturb his captor, he would go alone. There was no need to disturb anyone, he would simply go fast without anyone seeing him and would return in a blink of an eye. Peter was clear that he couldn’t just run away and not return, since it was obvious that 'The Beast' would kidnap his father again and that was the last thing Peter wanted. 

So he would quickly go for the tools and come back as if nothing happened. He was good at being stealthy, almost like a spider. 

There was no one in his room, so he decided he would climb out the window. He could simply use the old trick of the sheets. Peter began to tie all the fabric that he found and managed to create a 'liana' that fell almost to the floor. He tied it tightly against one of the legs of the bed and brought it to the window, making sure it wouldn’t fall out the window despite Peter's weight. 

Having done this, he began to descend, very quietly so that no one could see him. He jumped when he reached the end of the fabric and fell with a soft thud on the low snow. Peter looked up and wiped his hands against each other, proud of his wit, then looked around and walked away from the castle hiding behind a statue so that the enchanted cage that Peter thought was a horse, didn’t betray him. 

When he reached the gate he looked back, really hoping they didn’t realize it, because he would be in a lot of trouble. Peter went out the large doors and went to the village, he only needed to enter his house without Jarvis or his father to see him and take some tools, nothing he hadn’t done before. 

~ * ~

"Maybe we should knock on the door," Steve said worriedly. 

"Are you crazy?" Clint asked, rolling his eyes, "Nobody's allowed to come here, we're taking too much risk." 

The two of them were standing in front of the door of his master's bedroom, he had been locked in there since last night, not that this was something new in him, but they had never had a boy as special as Peter under the same roof. And their master, instead of being locked up, should be trying to connect more with him. It seemed that everyone knew what Peter represented - all but Wade. 

"That's enough," Steve said, stepping closer to the door. "I'm going to knock!" 

"STEVE!" The clock ran after him annoyingly, and pulled the carpet, causing the candelabrum to fall. Steve turned angrily to Clint and the clock swooped over him, both spinning, Steve pushing Clint to try to reach the door and the clock pulling him to not achieve it. 

While they were at it, Wade opened the door and frowned at them, tilting his head to the side somehow confused. 

"I won’t allow it!" Clint shouted, biting the other's metal arm. Steve screamed and hit him with the other arm. 

"Get your termite-filled teeth away from me!" 

Wade blinked several times and cleared his throat. The clock and the candelabrum stopped immediately, looking up to find their master with a raised eyebrow looking at them. In a jolt, the two of them were standing with an awkward grin on their faces. 

"Master," Clint greeted him breathlessly. "Before you draw conclusions, I want you to know it's all Steve's fault." 

Steve gasped next to him and put his steel hands on his nonexistent hips. "I was just worried about you, Monsieur Wade." 

Wade sighed with a smile and pinched the bridge of his nose. "I appreciate you worrying," he said taking his hand away from his nose. "But I'm fine." 

He was going to go back into his room, he really didn’t feel like going out just yet, he had simply done so because of the sounds that were caused by the other two, but then something clicked in his mind and he turned back to his employees. 

"Who's watching Peter?" 

They looked at each other doubtfully and their eyes widened, then turned to Wade with a nervous laugh and shrugged. Wade growled immediately and headed for the boy's room, taking strong steps and with the other two trying to follow him with their small bodies. 

When he reached the door, it was closed. He was about to kick it down, but Steve stopped him. "It would be good to knock first," he said trying to give a calm smile to his master "You know, sheer modesty." 

Wade growled and knocked hard on the door. "Peter, open the door." 

Clint cleared his throat and Wade looked at him. "What?" he asked angrily. 

Clint smiled nervously and whispering he said, "Maybe if you ask him please." 

Wade rolled his eyes and turned his gaze to the door. "Could you open the door?" He glared at Clint and grunted, "Please." 

There was no response and Wade started to get nervous. He looked down and the other two didn’t understand what was happening. Putting his patience aside, Wade unlocked the door - it was empty. His blood turned cold and he suddenly felt panic running through his body, especially as he headed for the window and saw the strip of cloth that was trailing down to the outside. Without thinking much he ran to his room, the mirror would show him where Peter was. What he couldn’t believe was that he didn’t feel anger, but fear, fear that something had happened to him. 

~ * ~

Peter was coming back to the castle, he had managed to take what he needed without drawing attention. Tony was sleeping, still with his work glasses on and what seemed to be new inventions plans around him. Peter could guess that Tony was trying to build something that would help him save his son, and probably the tiredness of worry had finally defeated him and he collapsed into a deep sleep. Peter wanted to get closer and let him know that he was fine, but he didn’t dare to wake him. He knew it would be worse. 

Jarvis was at the farm feeding the hens, so Peter decided to simply leave a note, letting his father know that he was okay and not to worry, that he would finish the watch he had designed and then return home. At the end he just wrote, _'Please do not try to do anything, I'll be fine. And remember that you must eat and sleep because you are human. I love you.'_

And with great melancholy returned to the forest without looking back, hoping to be able to return soon and take care of his father, because Jarvis just couldn’t win against his stubbornness. 

As he thought about this he couldn’t help but smile, the mere image of the poor robot trying to get his father to eat and sleep properly was funny, like a mother trying to get a child to eat their vegetables. 

He was so distracted by this that he forgot how late it was and the fact that this was a forest and wild animals were nearby. Not to mention that there was a certain group of wolves who had quite a grudge against him after having thrown a rock at their alpha. 

He heard a howl and was immediately paralyzed, the sound came right behind him. Peter turned his face slowly to look over his shoulder, but he didn’t have to turn much, a strong growl came from his side and he managed to see two wolves approaching, fangs out and with piercing looks. 

"Good boy, who is a good boy?" Peter asked in a shaky voice and the big wolf growled again, louder even than before. "Yeah, didn’t think so." 

The pack grew closer and closer, slowly stalking to its prey as Peter tried to walk backward, until he hit a large tree and tried to smile. "Maybe we could solve this civilly." 

The wolf growled again, and Peter shuddered. He looked around, trying to find an escape or something - anything - that would help. He looked at the ground and sighed knowing that was the worst idea, but he didn’t have many options. 

He took a short branch off the ground and saying "Go get it" he threw it away. He didn’t stop to watch their reactions and just started running, as fast as his feet allowed. The idea of course had not worked and in furious seconds, wolves came behind and beside him. He didn’t make much progress when he felt a strong burning in the calf, caused by a big claw that clung to him. 

Peter fell and hissed at the sight of his pants, already stained with blood and the burning that came from his calf. The wolf showed him the big fangs, he was almost above Peter, so the boy simply accepted his fate and closed his eyes to wait for the attack and pray for it to be quick and painless. He felt the warm breath of the wolf in his face and when he shrank even further away, a loud growl was heard close, but Peter was not sure if it came from the wolf that was about to eat him. 

He felt the hot air of the wolf's breath disappear and a shriek came from the creature before Peter felt an empty space where the wolf had been before. He opened one eye without daring to open the other for fear that the attack was barely about to begin, but the wolf was no longer in front of him. He heard two loud grunts by his side and turned his head to look. It was Wade, who was trying to push the wolf away, he had a freshly bite on his right shoulder and the clothes were torn in that area, so Peter could see his skin again, his sickness seemed to spread to all his body, because even in that area, he had tumors and open wounds, apart from those made by the bite. 

The wolf showed his fangs again and Wade moved closer to it, removing the cloak for the wolf to see his face. The wolf seemed to get scared by it, and with a shriek, it ran away. Peter tried to look away, but he couldn’t and when Wade turned to look at him, Peter found blue-sky eyes full of anger, anguish and something that seemed to be fear. 

He relaxed a little when he noticed that Peter was fine and then remembered that he had removed the hood from his head, so he quickly raised it again, trying to cover as much skin on his face as possible. 

Peter looked away as he knew that was what probably bothered the other, but for the first time he did not feel fear, neither disgust nor discomfort, but the simple need to make the other feel special, at least thank him for saving his life. 

Wade approached cautiously and without saying anything he knelt beside Peter, looking at the boy's leg in silence. "What were you thinking?" he asked, and it seemed to Peter that there was concern in the tone of his voice. 

"I..." He couldn’t finish, when Wade stood up and lifted Peter with him, then threw him over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes. As if Peter didn’t weigh anything, he began to walk back to the castle. 

"Hey!" Peter shouted annoyed. "I can walk by myself." 

"Oh yeah?" Wade placed him on the ground and Peter immediately fell down, the pain in his calf burning again. 

Okay, he probably couldn’t walk, but there were better ways to offer the help. "Yeah, that’s what I thought," Wade grunted and Peter simply glared at him from his position on the ground. That was before being thrown back onto the big man's shoulder and continuing his way to the castle. Peter complaining all the way. 

~ * ~

Once in the castle, Wade sat Peter on a large armchair by the fireplace, and a golden bowl with warm water and a white cloth resting on it came running up to them. A pair of scissors, the same one that had helped Mr. Sam with the clothes, came running too, and with a sigh, it cut Peter's pants on his left leg, just above the knee. Wade removed the piece of freshly cut trousers and wet the white cloth in the water, he looked at Peter hesitantly and carefully passed it over Peter's calf as he twisted his face in pain. Wade sighed. "Why?" he asked without looking at Peter. 

Peter bit his lip and looked down at his lap. "I needed some tools my father hadn’t brought. I knew they were in my house, so..." 

"Why didn’t you tell me?" Wade growled and Peter felt a sudden anger. He basically could have escaped and not returned, but he didn’t and this stubborn man should thank him for that instead of being angry. 

"Because you were locked up all day, and since you forbade me to go to your room, then I decided to go alone." 

"You could have knocked on the door!" Wade shouted. 

"So that you would yell at me again?" Peter asked in the same tone. 

"You're too stubborn!" 

"And you are intolerant!" 

They both fell silent after that, their chests rising and falling because of the lack of air they had just used shouting at each other and staring straight into their eyes. The others that were in the room and that they seemed not to notice, simply stopped breathing. Wade was the first to break eye contact, grunting as he dampened the cloth again. 

"You could have died," he finally said, his tone almost a whisper. 

Peter didn’t know what to say, so he simply decided to leave his pride aside. "Thank you for saving me," he said in a sigh. 

Wade looked at him again and a smile drawn on his lips, Peter could barely notice it with the little light that went into his cloak. 

"Why did you come back?" asked Wade shyly. 

"I made a promise," Peter replied, smiling gently. "I plan to keep it." 

Wade smiled and felt his cheeks flush. He was feeling things for this boy that he had never felt before, and he shouldn’t, because he would probably end up with a broken heart. But he could think of himself damned already, for the simple shy smile Peter directed at him, made his cold heart melt. He continued to wipe Peter's wound with the greatest gentleness with which his big hands allowed and in a whisper he said. 

"Thank you." 

~ * ~


	7. VI

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I know I said fridays, but... I couldn't wait lol, because today I bought my tickets to see the movie!
> 
> So here you go :)

The next day Peter began to feel more secure around Wade, he liked to think it was because of the fact that he was grateful to the strange man for saving him and nothing more. His leg caused some discomfort, but the wound in the end had not been so deep and he could walk. He limped a little, but managed to stay standing for at least a few minutes. 

He found that he couldn’t concentrate on his task, thinking, among many things in the way that Wade had saved him, constantly wondering why he had done it. He could have let him die and get another inventor, the plans were already made and there were much better inventors than he. 

Peter decided to blame a sudden mental block on the fact that he could not concentrate and made up his mind. He was going to do something nice to thank the other man. 

~ * ~

"What is he doing?" Ellie asked, looking out the window toward the garden. 

"I don’t know," replied Nat, looking with the same interest. 

"Isn’t he supposed to be resting?" Steve asked along with the other two. 

"The master is going to be angry when he sees him," Clint confirmed. 

"Maybe this is for him," Mrs. May finished. They all looked at each other suspiciously, then turned their eyes back to the window... Could it be? 

"What are you looking at?" Wade asked, coming down the stairs and scratching his eyes still a little sleepy after the afternoon nap. No one answered him, so he decided to go to the window and see for himself. 

Peter was in the garden, leaning his arm on a wooden stick, so as not to put too much weight on the wounded leg, and directing different garden tools to work on the snow. He seemed to be building something, but Wade couldn’t see well what it was. The boy was moving around the garden, up and down, until he fell into the snow with a thud, laughing when a wheelbarrow picked him up and began to carry him around the garden. 

Wade's first reaction was confusion and anger, what was the boy doing out there when his leg was not anywhere near being completely healed, even worse, with the cold outside? The second reaction was a small smile drawn on his face and he could not contain a chuckle as he watched the boy enjoy what he was doing. 

The others looked at each other with wide eyes and a smile slowly crept over their lips when they heard their master laughing the way he was. 

"Maybe you should join him," Steve insinuated, more than a little excited. 

"Yes, look how much fun he is having," Clint insisted as well. 

Wade frowned, as if doubting his next move, then heard Peter's laughter again and sighed, giving up. He looked down to see his friends, who were smiling at him as if their life depended on it. Wade smiled and rolled his eyes. 

"It's a nice afternoon," he muttered, and the others almost jumped out of their place in the window to help their master look for a coat, gloves, and boots. Wade simply laughed and shook his head. 

~ * ~

Peter was gasping for breath, sitting in the snow and patting the wheelbarrow when Wade came out. He was wearing a blue cloak, black shirt and blue trousers, the cloak covered much of his face, but Peter could always see his deep blue eyes shining beneath it. 

"What are you doing?" he asked, looking around. 

"I thought it was obvious," Peter replied, smiling and trying to get to his feet. Wade ran to his side and lifted him without much effort. Being so close and in the dim light of the afternoon, Peter could see his face a little more. Wade noticed it and looked away. 

"What for?" 

Peter sighed and headed, with an annoying slowness due to his limber to his side behind a small wall made of snow bricks, and hid behind it while smirking. "That one is yours," he said, pointing to the wall next to Wade. 

The other looked at his side and then turned back confused at Peter "Why?" 

Peter rolled his eyes while smiling. "We’re gonna have a snowball fight," he said as if it were something obvious. "Why else would there be snow in the world?" 

Wade couldn’t help it and snorted, unable to hide the stupid smile on his face, which made Peter smile too. Wade sighed dramatically and in a second was behind the wall, throwing snowballs previously prepared at Peter, who kept laughing. 

"That's cheating!" shouted the boy still laughing. "It's not fair to have someone to make you balls." 

"Is that a sexual joke?" Asked Wade, unable to help but laugh out loud at seeing Peter's big eyes and the huge blush on his cheeks. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, it was a joke." 

A huge snowball struck him right in the face and he stopped laughing to look at Peter, who was laughing in the same way that Wade had done a moment before. Wade glared at him, but slowly his lips began to grow into a smile and he found himself laughing as well. 

They continued their war of snowballs, leaving aside the walls at some point in the game to run around the garden, Wade giving Peter some advantage because of his leg and the other insisting in not needing it because even with a bad leg he could beat him. 

Steve, Clint, Nat and Mrs. May watched this from the stairs leading to the front door, smiling as they saw their master happy again, really happy, as they had not seen him in a long time. They were happy watching this, when Mrs. May felt a cold blow on her back. She turned and little Ellie was chuckling, a mischievous smile on her face. 

"Ellie, what are you-?" she couldn’t finish, when she felt another cold tap on her back, she turned and Clint was whistling and looking at the sky as if he had not done anything. "Oh yeah?" Mrs. May made a ball with the nozzle of her teapot and threw it at her niece, then another to Clint and when Steve was sighing contentedly as he saw his master, Nat threw one over the candle, extinguishing the small fire above his head. 

He turned offended and opened his mouth to speak, when another snowball hit him in the face and slowly slid down "Who dares to-?"

Mrs. May threw another snowball at him, and he gave up when the others burst out laughing. He decided to join them and so they all ended up playing snowball war all afternoon. 

~ * ~

In a remote area of the forest, just in front of the castle, Flash and Kas were hidden under a fistful of leaves, watching Peter and the Beast with binoculars they had robbed from Tony. It was necessary to know if the creature was as real as the inventor said, because if Flash planned to tell all the people about this creature, he couldn’t do it without first checking for himself. 

"Look how sad poor Peter looks, Kas." 

Cletus wondered if Flash was looking the same as he, because he only managed to see a boy running while laughing happily. Sure the creature that chased him was not very common, but Peter didn’t look at all sad. "I see him very happy, Flash." 

The other rolled his eyes and growled. "Don’t be silly, Kas, that is the face of a victim. It is obvious that he is acting so the Beast doesn’t kill him." 

Kas frowned and looked again. It didn’t really seem that Peter was acting, but who was he to know that? It was clear that the smart one was Flash. "Yes, you're right, he looks very sad." 

"That's right." Flash stood up, his chest held high and stomping hard with his boot against the ground. "But not for much longer. I will save him!" 

Cletus stood up as well and nodded. "Of course, then he'll marry you." 

Flash smiled, a dark smile that gave Kas goosebumps on his skin. "Yes, he'll have no choice, but first." He looked in Wade's direction, eyes filled with fury. "But first… I must kill the beast." 

~ * ~

Peter decided to take a hot bath after spending the afternoon outside, because he reached a point where he no longer could feel his toes. 

He had never had such a relaxing bath in his life. The tub was huge and the baroque design in every corner had a detail worthy of appreciation. The water was warm and cozy, relaxing every muscle of Peter’s body to the point of almost causing him to fall asleep, not to mention the scents and bubbles that impregnated the water. A sponge was washing his body, while gloves washed his hair, and a rubber duck tickled him as it swam around. Peter really thought he was dreaming and he just didn’t want to wake up. 

Once the bath was finished, a cloth offered to dry him, but he insisted on being able to do it by himself. Sam brought him a long white sleeping shirt, made of linen and a pair of high socks for the cold. Pete thanked him and put them on, Sam really knew how to make custom-made clothes for him, even to sleep. 

He felt really relaxed and ready to sleep when he saw Wade in the hallway in front of his room murmuring something between his teeth and biting his lip as if doubting whether he should or shouldn’t, not noticing that Peter was right there looking at him. 

"Do you need something?" Peter asked and Wade jumped, standing upright and smiling nervously. 

"I um... I was wondering if," he cleared his throat and looked at the floor. "If before you go to bed I could show you something." 

Peter smiled, for he could not help but think how cute Wade looked being so shy. Peter moved toward him and moved his face to look for Wade’s, finding at last those beautiful blue eyes. "Yes, I would like that." 

Wade smiled widely and was going to take his hand but hesitated for a moment. When Peter saw this, he reached out and laced Wade's hand with his without giving him much time to think. Wade's eyes seemed to shine with happiness and a huge smile spread on his lips before he began to run around the castle with Peter by his side. 

They came in front of two long doors and Peter looked at Wade still laughing at being dragged like a child around the place. "You must close your eyes," Wade said excitedly. 

Peter was caught up with the sweet happiness of the other and did as he was asked. Wade chuckled and Peter smiled even more. Then he heard the doors open and Wade took both hands in his and slowly began to guide him into the room. Peter bit his lip impatiently and Wade let go of him. "Now?" Peter asked. 

"No!" Wade shrieked in a chuckle, running across the room, then stopped and sighed. "Now." 

Peter slowly opened his eyes and his smile faded to give way to a mouth dropping in astonishment. In front of him was the largest library he had ever seen. Thousands of books, in all colors, smells and genres, from the ceiling to the floor. Everywhere he looked there were books and Peter now was sure that he was dreaming. That plus the magical place illuminated by the warm candle lights, made everything look like a dream. 

"So?" Wade asked anxiously, still smiling goofily. "Do you like it?" 

"Do I like it?" Peter said, unable to believe he was being asked. "I love it!" 

The smile on Wade's face was threatening to split his face and he felt as if his heart wanted to overflow. Especially as he saw Peter's eyes shining when he saw everything around him and the way his smile illuminated everything that surrounded him. Wade was feeling weak because of the way he felt about this boy and how much he wanted to give him the world and more. 

"All this is yours?" Peter asked, looking at him. 

"No," Wade replied, approaching him. "It's yours." 

Peter gave him the most welcoming smile anyone had ever offered him and Wade found himself lost in his eyes, just as Peter was looking at him without any discomfort or disgust, just pure gratitude and affection. 

"Which one is your favorite?" the boy asked, taking Wade's hands in his. 

"Uh, w-well," his voice suddenly trembled, all this contact was going to kill him. "I can’t really remember." 

Peter hummed thoughtfully and then smiled, dragging Wade up to one of the shelves and taking a book in his hand he said. "Then we'll read them all until you can remember." 

Wade smiled like an idiot in love and that's when he realized that Peter had to be his soul mate. 

And so they spent the rest of the night, with Peter lying with his head on Wade's stomach, reading stories to him, while the other paid close attention, both smiling happily and falling asleep right there at some point in the night. 

~ * ~


	8. VII

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Oh look at that, it's not even friday lol

Peter had managed to finish the watch. He was sure it would work as he had followed every step his father had taken and even corrected certain mistakes. The watch was up and running, which was more important. This was his exit, he had finally finished and he could leave without looking back, but... Did he really want that? 

He sighed deeply, so much so that it sounded almost dramatic. He chuckled at that and plopped into the chair in front of the work table. He looked at the watch once more and put his elbow on the table, resting his chin on the palm of his hand, thoughtfully. What would he do now? He was just another inventor and had managed to do what Wade needed. He was no longer useful in the castle. 

He sighed again and heard giggling at his side, so he turned his head and found Nat and Ellie watching him with amusement. 

"You look like my aunt when she reads her novels," Ellie said, giggling. 

Peter smiled and Nat came up to the table to look at his work. "You're done," she said, in a somewhat sad tone. 

Peter nodded, but he didn't seem very pleased either. 

"I see," Nat said, smiling. "But that doesn't mean you have to leave."

Peter put both arms on the table and dropped his head on them "I have to,” he said. “I fulfilled my duty and my father must be worried." 

Ellie made an attempt to get up to the table, with a lot of effort, until Peter gave her a push and she could stand firmly on the metal to look at the watch as well. "It's pretty," she said simply, but gave a long sigh like the one Peter had given before. 

Peter smiled slightly and nodded. It was a completely gold-plated watch, but unlike the design Tony had drawn, it had the box that covered it around, with the colors red and black. 

"Yes, it is," Peter finished, and the three sighed dramatically on the table. 

~ * ~

No one had to give the idea, nor push him to do it. Wade was determined that he should do something special for Peter, something that the boy might never forget. So in the end, and very proud of himself, he proposed to organize a dance in the great hall; Just the two of them and his employees of course, but it had to be special, something that would let Peter see the appreciation that had grown in Wade for him. 

Preparations began the night before and everything was perfect, as Peter had spent all night and morning in his room working. Wade sent Mr. Sam to sew them both gowns, elegant enough for a dance and he specified in details for the colors, the fabric and the rest was in Sam's hands, for he was the expert. 

Thor, on the other hand, had to prepare the most delicious dinner he had ever prepared in his life, and the dining room should look just as perfect as the ballroom. 

Each and every one of his employees took more life than usual and began to work, transforming the place into a fantastic castle - more than usual - almost like a fairy tale, just as Peter liked it and Wade noticed by the way in which when reading these stories his eyes seemed to gleam and the smile didn't disappear from his face the whole time while reading them. 

He sent a word to Peter with Mrs. May and he went about doing everything properly a "normal" person would, like taking a bath, with the help of a body brush, a sponge and all the soaps full of different odors and colors that Steve could find, that until leaving him gleaming by the time he had left the tub. Then it was the turn of the towels, which were dedicated to place the cream all over his body and head. When it came to choosing whether to wear a cloak or a wig, all he wanted was something that would cover his face as much as possible. 

"But sir," said Steve, coming up to Mr. Coat rack, who had four wigs in its wooden arms "Hair is just an accessory that will make you look elegant, just a little change from the cloaks." 

Wade sighed from the large chair where he was sitting, looking at the other two confused. He didn't like wigs, he felt like he would look ridiculous in them, but maybe Peter would like it and all this was for him, aimed at him and only him, so Wade should stay focused on that. 

He stood up to pick a wig when someone knocked on the door. He turned around and his dog came in with a small box on his back. Wade frowned and walked over to take the box. 

"What is this, boy?" He asked crouching down to rub his dog's head. 

He stood up and looked at Steve, who shrugged. The box was black and had a little note attached, which Wade opened _'I hope it helps with whatever you need it for. Peter.'_

Wade grinned widely and almost threw the lid of the box aside, showing a beautiful gold hand-watch with his favorite colors around it. It was perfect. He pulled it out and looked at it in more detail, running to the mirror to try it. The mirror was covered with a blanket like all the mirrors of the house, to avoid seeing his reflection, but today was a special occasion. He removed the blanket and looked at himself for a moment, looking away instantly, he no longer needed to see that horrible beast, he had the salvation in his hands. 

He placed it on his wrist and held his index finger to a small button on the right side of the watch. He looked at himself for the last time in the mirror "Today is the day when I will finally say goodbye to you," he said decisively. He took a deep breath and pressed the button. Suddenly, from the tip of his head began to descend a figure like a blanket covering the big man. 

Clint and Steve looked at each other with their mouths open and smiled immediately. They had always loved their master however he looked like, and they kept thinking there was more to him than the physical, but they knew that this would make him happy, and in the end, that is what they have always wanted for him. 

Wade had his eyes closed, so slowly he opened one, finding a completely different figure to his in front of him. That handsome young man who he once was, now stood in front of him, not a single scar, not a single tumor or torn skin, just him, with his skin completely smooth, straight blond hair, that looked so soft to the touch that Wade almost forgot that it was a hologram. 

His eyes filled with tears, but he cleaned them immediately, he should enjoy it, not mourn for it. He turned to his employees smiling broadly and they returned his expression tenderly. The same young man they had raised since childhood, now stood in front of them. The only hope they had, was that this didn't return him to his old states of depression, where after the illusion broke, he buried in his bedroom as has happened before. 

"Look at me," Wade said, still unable to believe what his eyes saw. "It's unbelievable." He started to laugh and the others in the room copied him. "And just today, guys, maybe..." 

He was going to say that maybe this way, Peter would love him, but he remembered that the boy had already seen his true appearance and Peter would never see him other than as the monster Wade was. He lowered his gaze to his hands and Clint and Steve came up to raise his chin with their little hands. 

"It will be a magical night, master," Steve assured him. 

"You both will spend such a perfect night, that time will fade," Clint said, glancing at both of them. "Get it?" 

Steve rolled his eyes and Wade couldn't help but laugh, smiling broadly and bumping with the small clock. Steve shook his head, but also laughed with them, today there was no reason to be angry. 

~ * ~

Peter simply stood in the middle of the room for Sam and Mrs. May to take care of him. Something about a surprise and that he had to dress elegantly, but other than that, he had no idea what was going to happen. He supposed they would have some dinner, to celebrate that the watch was ready, but he missed nothing with a little attempt to investigate. 

He cleared his throat not very subtly and when Mrs. May looked at him, he smiled. "So..." he began. "Why the luxurious clothes?" 

Mrs. May turned around, ignoring him as she made her way to the luxurious sewing machine. "A dinner, just like every night," she answered nonchalantly. 

Peter chuckled and decided to press a little more. "We eat dinner every night, but we never have to dress so well." 

Mr. Sam gasped and glared at him. "How dare you?" He asked, handing his trousers over to the clothes iron, which he placed on the table "In my clothes, you always look well." 

Peter laughed and nodded "You're right, I'm sorry." 

Mrs. May winked at him and Peter shrugged, he wouldn't ask any more. Just like the spell, he would let this be a mystery. One by one the clothes were ironed by the young iron and then addressed them to Peter, who put them on without much trouble, Sam's clothes always fit perfectly. When he had finished, he went to the mirror, removing the large blanket that covered it, something he had noticed with all the mirrors in the castle. 

His smile was evident as he looked at the beautiful suit he was wearing. Blue peacock trousers, a navy blue tailcoat, inside there was a red waistcoat with velvet trim, covering a white linen shirt with a dark blue tie, which went down to hide beneath the vest, of course, black boots and his hair tucked back in a braid, with disobedient curls coming out at the sides. 

"You look very handsome," Mrs. May flattered him with a wink. 

"You dress my suits like no one else," Sam added with a smile. "Although I think the master will look very good with his." 

Peter simply laughed, his blush rising to his cheeks. 

~ * ~

Tony was ready. He had prepared and built every one of his inventions to save his son. One destined for his neighbor, who promised to help him save Peter. One or two arrangements to his robot Jarvis, and a special something for him. All this had to help them save his son, no matter the cost. 

Challa entered the messy house of his neighbor and began to remove pieces out of his way to be able to find him. "Tony?" 

The inventor's head came out of a pile of iron artifacts on the floor. "Challa, you came!" He said happily and coming out from under the mountain to run to his friend, take him by the arm and lead him to what once was a clean kitchen. "This is for you." 

He lifted what appeared to be a pair of gloves. Challa looked at him in confusion, but Tony winked, placing one in his friend's hand. T'Challa turned his palm and opened and closed his fist, there were catlike claws at the end of each finger. 

"Like a panther," said Tony happily. Challa had to admit it, he looked pretty cool. "I also have something for me," Tony said, running into the living room where the mountain of iron artifacts stood, and pulled out a propeller that worked with cow dung. Challa wrinkled his nose when Tony told him he was taking that from his animals, but now he understood the cleverness of his friend, the propeller didn't even smell bad. 

Tony put it on his back and turned it on, flying around his house uncontrollably, and crashing against walls and the ceiling, until he managed to turn it off and fell with a heavy blow against the wood of the floor. 

"It needs some practice," Tony clarified, laughing nervously and stroking one of his buttocks. 

Jarvis came down the stairs and Challa raised a confused eyebrow. "It was his idea," Tony whispered. 

The robot was wearing a green cape over his shoulders and in the middle of his forehead a purple gem, Jarvis looked at his side, where the other two were and shrugged. "I look good," he said. 

The other two looked at each other and shrugged as well. Tony took Challa with one arm and Jarvis with the other, and with pride, he said. "Tonight will be the night we will save Peter." 

~ * ~

Wade was anxious, biting his nails as he looked up the stairs on the opposite side of his, waiting on the stairway landing for Peter to appear, so the both of them could go down to the dining room together. He was going to wait for him there, in his chair, but Steve insisted that it would be more 'romantic' to wait for him on the stairs. So here he was, hyperventilating and standing upright whenever any sound came from above. 

"It's going to be all right, Master, you look stupendously tonight," Steve insisted. "And I'm not just saying it for the watch." 

Wade knew it was true, Sam had outdone himself tonight. Wade was wearing, just like Peter, a velvet tailcoat, but unlike Peter, his was scarlet red, with buttons and other details in black. Black trousers, with a red strip on the sides of his thighs, a black vest, a white linen shirt underneath it and around his neck and going down to get into his vest, a white neck cloth. His new golden hair, loose, because the hologram didn't allow changes at the moment and honestly, it didn't bother to Wade, the simple fact of having hair made him smile. In general, he looked incredible. 

"Remember to use all your charms," interrupted Clint. "Pull out the chair for him to sit down, for example." 

"Praise his beauty and grace," Steve added, and Wade nodded nervously. 

"Be patient," Clint reminded him again, his voice insisting. Wade simply grimaced and shrugged one shoulder. 

Suddenly there were footsteps in the upstairs corridor, which led to the staircase, so Wade turned around breathing deeply and trying to smile, but the smile did not last long, as it was replaced by a mouth wide open as he saw at Peter in all his beauty and the elegance he wore in his new suit. 

The boy smiled and came down to Wade, both bowing as they found themselves in the middle of the long stairwell. 

"You look so, incredibly beautiful," Wade complemented, and Peter blushed. 

"You too, the suit fits you perfectly," Peter replied with a shy smile and Wade blushed as well. "I see the watch works." 

Wade nodded excitedly and took the boy's hands, he was wearing his black gloves, because the hologram couldn't eliminate the texture of his hands. "It's incredible, you're incredible," he praised the boy and gave him a big smile. 

Peter chuckled and felt his cheeks burn. "It was nothing." 

Wade offered him his big arm and Peter took it with pleasure. "It was something to me," Wade said and they both went down the rest of the stairs, laughing at the glances they were both giving each other. 

When they entered the dining room, Peter could swear that his mouth touched the floor with astonishment at the sight of the place. It was sparkling, every detail clean and polished carefully. There were paintings that were not there before and gave color and life to the place. On the table was a large flower arrangement, the colors red and blue were the most prominent and Peter couldn’t contain the smile for that. 

"Wow! It looks amazing," Peter said, walking around. 

Wade smiled, and when Clint cleared his throat, he didn't even have to look at him again to understand. Instead, he ran to the other side of the table and moved the chair for Peter to sit. The boy chuckled and made a slight bow in gratitude, before taking a seat. Wade moved to his side and sat down too, looking at Peter with a gleaming smile on his lips. At last he could look at him without feeling disgust for himself, even if it wasn't real, he felt more than alive. 

Mr. Thor sent from the kitchen steel and wooden carts, covered with metal lids that one by one were uncovered to show the food. At the beginning there was a mushroom cream and freshly baked bread, the main dish was quail, dipped in a sauce of pine nuts and dates, mashed potatoes, sautéed vegetables and an exquisite salad. And finally, the dessert, a delicious chocolate cake, Peter's favorite. 

Peter collapsed in his chair once he was over, savoring the scents around him and smiling contentedly. Wade smiled at the sight of him and stood up to walk to his side and offer him his arm again. Peter looked at him in confusion, usually after dinner, they said good night and everyone went back to their rooms, but he guessed that given their clothes, tonight would be different. 

Peter stood up, taking Wade's arm and letting him lead him to wherever he was taking him. "I'll cover your eyes," said Wade, they were very close to the ballroom. 

Peter looked at him, confused again, but the expression of happiness on Wade's face made him put every doubt aside. He closed his eyes and felt Wade standing behind him, big hands covering his eyes while the other whispered, "Walk forward, I'll tell you when to turn left and when you can open your eyes." 

Peter nodded, biting his lip impatiently, if this was the same or similar to the surprise of the huge library, then Peter would probably die of happiness. Wade motioned for him to turn left and he very obediently did, until they stopped and Wade whispered. "Ready?" 

Peter nodded and the man removed his hands from the brunet's eyes, allowing him to look around with the same amazement as before. 

The room was glowing, the gold on its walls, floor and ceiling, glowed like they had not done before, small candles hung from the ceiling, providing an incredible warmth to the place and creating a magical atmosphere, not to mention the new wine-colored curtains, of the long windows of the living room. 

Peter turned to Wade with a big smile, and the other couldn't avoid the one on his own face. "All this for a watch?" Peter asked, still not believing it. 

"For everything, Petey, you came to give life to this castle," Wade said, moving him closer to the center of the room. "More than what it already has." 

Peter laughed and Wade followed, a soft music began to sound, but before Wade could ask for a dance, Peter decided he should try to at least ask. "Wade?" The other looked at him, so he cleared his throat. "I would like to dance with you." 

Wade smiled broadly and nodded. "I'd like to dance with you, too." 

"No," interrupted Peter, blushing and confusing the other. "I mean, with the real you, without the watch." 

Wade's smile disappeared, and his gaze shifted to the floor. Why would Peter want that? It didn't make any sense. Wade looked perfect as he was. Why would Peter want to see that monster? 

"You could wear the cloak if you feel more comfortable," Peter insisted, speaking softly. "It's a simple dance, just you and me." 

Wade stared at him for a moment, Peter's gaze leaving nothing but affection, no trace of cruelty. Wade knew Peter would never make him feel bad, but he couldn't help feeling disgusting in his true self. 

He sighed and looked around, Mrs. May and Ellie, were standing by Mr. Coat rack, who was holding Wade's black cape, and he smiled when he noticed this, they were always ready for him. Wade released Peter's hands and went to the others to put on the cloak. Once done, he looked at the watch with some doubts growing inside him, but before they could get worse, he took it off his wrist and set it aside, his beauty disappearing to give way to the horrible beast he was and couldn't understand why Peter wanted it. 

He turned shyly back to the boy, who had a gigantic smile on his face. "You look very handsome," Peter said, and Wade smiled, a blush rising to his cheeks. 

"No more than you," he said, with a little more confidence. 

He moved closer to Peter, wrapped one arm around his waist and intertwined their hands with the other, this was the closest he had been to the boy in his natural form. 

"You know," Peter commented. "I actually don't know how to dance." 

Wade laughed and looked into his eyes. "Don't worry, I'll guide you." 

The music began to play and the big man began to move with great grace and delicacy, moving Peter with him and teaching him skillfully how to do each step. 

The boy couldn't stop looking into his eyes, it was the first time Wade allowed him to be so close and see him with so much detail. Not that Wade didn't try to hide it, of course. The lower the fabric of the cloak was, the better for Wade, but nothing could stop the brightness of those beautiful heavenly eyes. 

They turned around and Peter's foot tangled with Wade's. He tried to fix it, but only made it worse and the next moment, they were both on the floor. Wade had fallen over Peter and they both laughed from it. Peter could blame his luck for having such sloppy feet. 

They had relaxed so much and the laughter had clouded the moment, but as soon as their breathing began to calm down and both found themselves lying on the floor, panting for breath and looking straight into each other’s eyes. 

Their faces were very close, the light in the room made Peter's eyes brighten more than usual and Wade found himself almost mesmerized by them. Not to mention his lips were slightly open as Peter tried to catch some air. 

Peter was lost in Wade's light-blue eyes, bright and full of sadness, that caused Peter to suddenly wish he could eliminate that, make him see that there was more in the world than the physical and that he deserved all the happiness he could receive. The marks on his skin described so much suffering and Peter just wanted to caress them. He reached out a hand to his cheek and Wade immediately moved away, pulling off Peter and looking away. 

"I'm sorry," Wade murmured, embarrassed of himself. "You didn't have to see me so close." 

"Wade..." Peter sat up and tried to approach him, but the other man moved away again. 

"No Peter, please, you do not have to try to be kind." 

"Look at me." Peter's voice was sweet and gentle, but Wade didn't dare look at him. 

"You can go back to your room now." Wade was going to stand back up, when he felt a gentle hand on his arm. 

"Please look at me." Wade shook his head and Peter sighed. "Please." 

Wade slowly looked over his shoulder. Peter was staring at him with affectionate eyes and Wade felt very weak suddenly. He just wanted to turn around and wrap that little boy in his arms, but no, Peter didn't deserve that. He was too perfect for Wade. The boy had a whole life ahead of him and he was just a monster. 

"Do I look disgusted?" Peter asked softly and Wade looked down. He did not deserve to see those beautiful eyes. 

"That’s because you're too polite," Wade grunted. 

"I'm not," Peter chuckled and shook his head. "Well, I am, but it's not that." 

Wade continued his stare at the floor until Peter's soft hand touched his cheek and Wade stood up, moving away immediately, his eyes wide open, trying to read Peter's thoughts and to understand what was going on in the boy's mind when he dared to touch with his so perfect hand, Wade's so disgusting cheek. 

Peter blushed, but his eyes kept looking at him with the same affection. "I'm sorry, Wade, I just want you to see what I-"

"Enough Peter!" Wade shouted, none of this made sense. Peter didn't deserve to look at him for so long. "It's a little late now, I'll go to sleep." Peter didn't have time to say anything when Wade had already disappeared through the large arc of the ballroom and simply shouted. "Good night!" 

Peter sighed from his place on the floor and looked at the others with a shrug. "Thanks for everything, guys, but I guess I should go to bed now," he said, running a finger over Ellie's ring, who had approached his side with sadness. "Tomorrow I must go home." 

Peter smiled, though he looked sad and stood up to give them a little bow before going up to his room. 

Everyone turned to look sad at each other, May sent Ellie to sleep and then headed toward Clint and Steve, with very determined eyes. "We will go to the master's room and we will demand that he apologize," she stated seriously. The other two looked rather nervous, because no one was supposed to enter that room. 

"I'll go alone then," she said stubbornly and started to jump up the stairs, Clint and Steve sighed and jumped after her. It was time to destroy the spell, no matter what it cost. 

~ * ~

Tony, Jarvis and T'Challa took a couple of horses from the stable and tied them to a cart. They put Jarvis in the back and the three headed resolutely towards the castle where Peter was imprisoned. Tony had a determined look as they walked the same path he traveled not so long ago. He would save his son and bring him back home, safe and sound, no matter what it cost. 

What they didn't know, was that in the small town behind them, a young and muscular Flash, was planning to do the same, with intentions a little different than them. 

~ * ~


	9. VIII

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I'll post the last chapter on Friday :)

Flash had gathered as many villagers as possible at the tavern. His plan was in progress. It had all started with the help of one of the girls who is in love with him, who agreed to help him in everything. 

The girl had come running to the village, asking for help and talking about a monster. Then Kas had to interfere and admit to seeing a horrible creature. Now it was Flash's turn. He had to terrorize the town until they followed him to the enchanted castle, for him to kill the beast with his own hands. 

"Poor and sweet Peter is trapped," he began to say from his place on one of the wooden tables. "This girl," he said pointing to that who was his accomplice, "Now suffers a chilling fear after seeing that creature." 

The girl nodded, acting very frightened, her bottom lip thrusting out in a pout to give more drama, and of course, to win over other men. 

"My ally, my trusted man, also saw it," he pointed to Kas, who stood with his chest high and almost weeping with emotion at the words of his friend. "And I am sure we will continue to see it until we eliminate it." 

The people of the town looked at each other with some hesitation. "If this is a monster, it would be best to leave it alone," one of them murmured. "We should attack right now," said another, and so on the different thoughts followed, but no one seemed to move, so Flash continued with his speech. 

"You, for example," he pointed to the young Bucky. "You have the ideal metal to make our weapons," the young man shrugged and nodded sheepishly. 

"And you," he pointed to Mr. Bruce. "Your dog Hulk is so big it would inflict fear on the creature." Bruce sighed and looked down at the floor. 

Flash realized that it wasn't working, so he took the measure of fear. "Imagine that it continue to kidnap our young people," he said loudly so that everyone would listen to him "Let it begin to take hold of all of us, that horrible creature, threatening to eat us because we don't listen to it!" 

They all had frightened expressions on their faces, looking at each other and murmuring things to their ears, then Flash realized that he had succeeded, so he continued with more certainty. "Such a frightful creature should not be loose in that way, terrifying us all with its horrible appearance," his neighbors began to nod slowly. "Together we can stop him!" He shouted, and his neighbors nodded with more assurance. "Together we can eliminate it!" 

Some shouted in excitement, now drawn to the idea, raising their weapons and directing sounds of agreement. "So..." Flash finished. "Who is with me?" 

The cries of approval increased and Flash smiled darkly, proud of himself. Some of them left without saying anything, for example Mr. Bruce, but it didn't matter, he didn't need them. These people would only be his lures, distractions for the creature, because the one to kill the beast, would be him. 

~ * ~

Steve and Clint were standing outside the door of their master's bedroom, looking doubtful, but Mrs. May would not accept any of it. She hopped boldly to the door and knocked with the same courage. "Master Wade, we know you're there," she said glaring at the door. 

"Leave me alone," Wade grunted from inside, which made Mrs. May take offense even more, so she knocked again, harder. 

"You'd better open this door, young man, or I..." She didn't have to continue, the door opened a little, and the shadow of Wade's face and one of his blue eyes became visible through the cleft. 

"What do you want?" 

Mrs. May never thought he would open so easily, so she hadn't yet succeeded in sorting out the necessary arguments in her brain, so she cleared her throat and stood as straight as her teapot figure allowed her. 

"You must apologize to young Peter," she said, lifting her nose in the air. 

Wade frowned and looked away "What could I tell him? I've ruined it." 

"Oh." Mrs. May really did not expect these reactions. She thought she would have to deal with a man full of anger, but instead, he looked... Regretful? "Well then..." 

"You could start by saying you’re sorry," Clint advised, and the other two nodded, looking at their master for an answer. 

Wade sighed and looked down at his boots "How do I do that?" 

The other three looked at each other with curiosity, their master was not an apologetic man, no matter how good he was. He had always been stubborn about it, but now... He seemed to have changed. 

"Go to the boy's room," Steve said softly. "He's there." 

"When you see him," continued May "Words will come out by themselves, believe me." 

After that there was a long pause, all of them debating what to do now, because their master didn't seem to be giving a fight as was usual. Wade sighed again and disappeared from the look of the other three, they heard a few steps and then something slipping, they assumed he was taking his cloak again, they heard another sigh and then Wade was back in the door. 

He put on his cloak and opened the door, looking at them with scolded dog eyes, the others couldn't believe what they were looking at, so they simply walked beside him to the other side of the castle where Peter was. 

~ * ~

Peter was sitting in the window of his room, he had discarded the small braid in his hair, which returned to its natural messy state, and changed his tailcoat to a warmer coat. 

He supposed that this would be his last night in the castle, which should be good, it was what he wanted from the beginning. But now that he was one night away of his departure, he felt strange, sad even, especially for how things ended with Wade. 

He brought his knees to his chest and looked at his boots, trying to think of a way to fix things without ruining it more, when someone knocked on his door. He frowned, because usually once they said good night, no one dared to go to their rooms. 

"Peter, I... I wanted to talk to you," it was Wade, his voice soft and somewhat nervous. "If it's not a problem, of course." 

Peter stood up immediately and went to the door. He was going to open without hesitation, but paused for a moment to look at himself in the mirror, and grimaced at the look. "Just a second," he said biting his lip and trying to fix his hair with his hands, not achieving much. He sighed and straightened his clothes a bit, before opening the door, with a smile. 

"Hi," he said simply, looking at the timid expression in Wade's eyes. 

"Hi," replied the other, chuckling. "You look nice." 

Peter laughed and acted like he was modeling a new outfit "Oh this? Is the latest in fashion." 

They both laughed and then looked at each other shyly. Wade was the first to look away, sighing as he let his shoulders fall. "Sorry I left that way during the dance," he muttered. 

Peter smiled and approached him a little more. "What did you say? Sorry?" He bit his lip, holding a smile and Wade rolled his eyes. 

"You heard me," he muttered again, and Peter chuckled. 

"Yes, thank you," the boy said and then sighed. "I'm sorry, too. I shouldn't have pushed you that way." 

Wade shook his head and looked at him again. "You didn't do anything wrong, it's me who... Needs to learn." 

Peter smiled and he did the same, both stayed silent until Wade remembered why he had come. "I want to show you something." 

"Another surprise?" Peter asked, his smile broad. "I'm flattered." 

Wade laughed and reached out his hand for Peter to take. He did so without much insistence. They walked alone to the other side of the castle, the east wing, where Wade's room was. Peter knew this was a forbidden area, so he couldn't understand why Wade brought him here, but he decided not to say anything. 

They arrived at the door of Wade's room and he opened it without a doubt. Peter stopped under the archway of the entrance and watched Wade walk to a small table, which had a rose shining inside a dome and what appeared be a hand mirror next to it. Wade looked at him, waiting for Peter to come in, but he didn't. 

"It's your room," said the dubious brunette "I... I'm not supposed to-"

"You can come in, Peter." Wade smiled and nodded. 

Peter entered slowly, the room was big, but it was torn apart, as if a hurricane had passed by. There were paintings ripped by large hands, showing the young Wade, the one Peter had use as reference for the watch. Broken chairs and the curtains that gave way the terrace, were scrapped, a simple large chair and the table where the rose and the mirror were, were the only things kept safe. 

"I know you miss your father," Wade said as Peter approached. "I have something that can help you see him." He lifted the mirror and handed it to Peter. "This mirror will show you anything you wish to see." 

Peter took it. It was a silver mirror that showed his reflection. "Should I ask?" Wade nodded, so Peter looked back at the mirror. "I want to see my father... Please?" 

The mirror began to glow, releasing flashes of green, and suddenly the image in the mirror changed and its reflection was no longer visible, but it showed its father. He was together with Challa and Jarvis, they were not at home but the forest, the wagon was stuck in a fist of mud and the wind was not helping with their health, especially Tony's, who had barely eaten anything these past days. Not to mention that the group of wolves were stalking them closely. 

Peter gasped and showed the mirror to Wade. "They are in danger," he said, very worried. "Dad looks very weak, more time like this and he won't survive." 

Wade looked at his rose, the petals on it were less and less, and most of them lay on the tabletop. He sighed and turned to Peter, the boy looked frightened and Wade couldn't bear to see that, so he gave him a smile and took his hand again. "Then let's go save your family." 

~ * ~

May, Clint and Steve were waiting downstairs, walking from side to side. Their bodies were still non-human, which meant that the boys had not yet spoken the words they were all waiting to hear. 

They sighed and were going to leave in resignation to their resting place, when they heard footsteps coming from upstairs, increasing rapidly. They looked at each other and stopped to look at the stairs. In an instant, Wade and Peter ran downstairs, the boy putting a cloak over his coat and ran out of the door immediately. 

Wade paused only to explain to his employees. "Peter's family is in danger," he said, looking towards the entrance so as not to lose a sight of the boy. "We will go and save them." 

"B-But," Clint stammered, following his master toward the entrance. 

Peter was too far for Wade's taste, and on such a stormy night it was not wise for him to be out there alone. "I must go," he said, also walking out the door. 

"But the spell," Steve shouted from behind. 

Wade paused for a moment, staring at the floor and sighing he turned to them. "I'm sorry," he said simply, before running after Peter. 

The others watched them walk away and sighed as well, entering the castle with resignation and closing the doors behind them. 

~ * ~

Tony was coughing a lot, he looked very ill, and Challa and Jarvis didn't know what to do, because they couldn't get the cart out of the mud and his horse was tired of trying. They couldn't carry Tony home, the wind and the rain would kill them, if the wolves didn't do it before. In a summary, they were finished. 

Challa released his horse from the cart and brought him to them with the reins, trying to create more heat if they all huddled together. Tony was trying to get the cart out, but his cough didn't allow him to do much and no matter how much Jarvis insisted it was useless, the inventor was determined to rescue his son. 

At some point, Tony couldn't do it anymore, and he sat surrendered in the mud that held one of the wheels captive. He dropped his face defeated and Jarvis came over to put his metal hand on his master's shoulder. 

"You did your best, Master Tony," Jarvis tried to calm him down, and Challa nodded. Tony shook his head and put his hands to his face. He felt that he was going to start crying when they heard a noise from behind the trees. 

The three of them got up and stood in a position of defense. It must be the wolves ready to attack, but they wouldn't let themselves be defeated without first giving a worthy fight. But instead, out of the shadows came the horrible creature, the beast that was holding Peter captive. Challa gasped and Tony's eyes widened, but he was not going to be intimidated. He took one of his tools and threw it at him. 

"Stay away, you horrible beast. We come to save my son, even if it's the last thing I do." 

The tool managed to hit Wade in the head, and he took a long breath. He had to remember that this was Peter's dad and they were here to save him, not the contrary. 

"I come to help." Wade tried to say, but Tony raised another piece of metal, preparing to throw it again, when Peter appeared with his hands up. 

"Stop, Dad, please." 

Everyone went silent and Tony dropped the tool, running to pull Peter towards him and away from the horrible creature. "Peter, get away from him! Don't you worry," he said, hugging his son. "I'll save you." 

Challa lifted his clawed gloves, Jarvis raised his fists and Tony picked up the tool again, but Peter let go of his father and went back to stand in front of Wade. 

"Please don't do it," he begged, his eyes pleading him. "He's a good person, Dad, just listen to me." 

Tony shook his head. What did his son have in mind? How could he defend the creature that had him kidnapped? "But, Peter." 

Peter approached them again when he noticed that they no longer looked ready to attack. "Please, let's go back to the castle," he said taking his father's hands. "You need to warm up." 

Challa and Jarvis nodded, but Tony shook his head as he coughed. "No," he said stubbornly, and Challa and Jarvis rolled their eyes. "Why do you want to go back to that place?" Tony insisted. 

Peter smiled at his father and hugged him tightly, until Tony hugged him back and surrendered in the arms of his son. All the worry and pain he lived in these last days, fading into that embrace. "Let's go to the castle, please," Peter said, releasing him to look into his eyes. "I'll explain it to you there." 

Tony looked over Peter's shoulder at Wade, who was standing there, not moving, or saying anything, even when Tony was sure that the blow he gave him had been painful. Tony sighed, surrendered and looked at his son again, smiling at him and letting the tears out, because he thought he had lost him forever. He nodded and Peter's smile widened. 

Wade and Peter helped them with the things they were carrying. Challa left the cart behind, but he didn't let go of his horse's reins, and Tony was leaning on Jarvis. In such a way, they returned to the castle. 

~ * ~

"Aunt May," shouted Ellie, running to her aunt, who was still with Steve and Clint, resigned in the living room. "Aunt May!" The girl screamed again. 

Her aunt rolled her eyes and turned to face her. "What is it, girl?" She asked sadly. "Can't you see that I'm having an existential crisis." 

"But there's no time for that," Nat laughed from behind the girl. "They're coming back." 

The other three turned to each other in shock and Ellie and Nat rolled their eyes, moving toward the door to open it. Their master and Peter were coming back, with two other people with them, a horse and a robot that looked human. 

Clint, Steve, and Mrs. May gasped and set to work instantly, running toward the entrance to help them in. Clint called for the wardrobe to bring some coats and blankets, Steve lit the fireplace, and Mrs. May ordered Thor to prepare hot chocolate. 

The next moment, the guests were seated in cozy armchairs in the guest room, drinking hot chocolate and warming their feet in the fireplace, thanking everyone for everything they offered. 

Peter walked over to Wade, who was standing under the archway of the entrance to the room, away from the others and with his arms folded over his chest, trying to keep Tony's words from affecting him, but it was very difficult. 

"Are you alright?" Peter asked, drawing him out of his thoughts. 

Wade smiled at him and nodded, although a small strip of blood was running down his forehead. Peter noticed it and bit his lip, knowing that asking this to the other wouldn't be to his liking, but he had to try. 

"Can I see that?" He pointed to the wound and smiled, "My dad has a good aim and that looks painful." 

Wade chuckled, but shook his head. "I'm fine," he said simply. 

Peter sighed and took his hand, leading him to an armchair, away from the others and sitting Wade there. He called one of the trays with warm water and plunged a cloth into it, looking at Wade again. "Please, it's the least I can do." 

Wade looked at the others, no one was paying attention to them, then he looked back at Peter, who smiled affectionately at him. Wade sighed and looked into his lap, raising his hands to the cloak and pulling the hood back, revealing his head. 

He didn't look at Peter, his eyes were fixed on his boots, because he was afraid to look up and find a face contorted by disgust. Peter's feet moved in front of his, and Wade felt the warm cloth against the wound, he hissed from the pain, and looked up, finding Peter wincing apologetically. 

"I'm sorry," he said, bending down to wet the cloth again. "I don't have much practice at this." 

Wade chuckled, he could not believe that was what came out of the boy's mouth, instead of 'Get away from me, beast' or something like that. 

The boy bent down to be at the same level as Wade's face and returned to pass the cloth more carefully, cleaning the blood and smiling at him. "You're going to need some ice." 

Wade opened his mouth, he wanted to thank him for everything, tell Pete that he would let him go, that he was the best thing that had ever happened to him in a long time, and that... That he loved him, but he couldn’t even start. Heavy blows of metal were heard outside the castle, and both went near the window to see what caused all that noise. 

It was the people of the village, they were angry and they uttered words of hate, raising their hands with torches and different tools of work as weapons. Flash led them, a dark smile drawn on his face. 

"Peter, my love, I came to save you," he said with his chest high. "And you," Flash pointed with a torch to the castle. "Prepare to be defeated, Beast." 

~ * ~


	10. IX

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> First of all, you guys need to see [this beautiful art](http://that-spider-toast.tumblr.com/post/158721514914/ive-recently-read-a-beauty-and-the-beast-au) made by [Spider-Toast ART](http://that-spider-toast.tumblr.com). It's so cute, thank you so much honey <3

"My love?" Wade asked Peter with a raised eyebrow. 

Peter chuckled and shook his head. "Flash is... He's complicated." 

The others came over to the window to see what was happening for themselves. "We could try to talk to him," offered Challa and Tony, Peter, and Jarvis looked at him with a raised eyebrow. "Okay, yeah, bad idea." 

Mrs. May, seeing that they were doing nothing to stop the situation, rolled her eyes and cleared her throat. "I don't know about you," she said, attracting their attention. "But I don't plan to give up without a fight." 

The others smiled and nodded. In a moment they were all running around, calling all the living creatures in the castle to prepare to attack everyone who came through those doors. Mrs. May took Ellie and the other little ones away, despite the girl's insistence that she could fight just as well as the others. 

Peter did not see it coming, but Wade grabbed him from behind and covered his mouth, carried him to the horse-cage and pushed him inside, closing the door right after. 

The boy looked at him, his eyes wide and trying to open the cage. "What are you doing?" Peter asked, trying to understand. 

Wade looked at him with sad eyes and sighed. "I'm sorry I have to do this," he said in a whisper. 

"Wade!" Peter took the cloak of the other in his hands and pulled it. "I can defend myself." 

Wade smiled at him, but shook his head "I know you're more than capable of defending yourself," he said, taking Peter's hands in his own "But this is my fault, and I'm the one to stop it." 

Peter shook his head desperately, tears in his eyes. "Please, it's not your fault, let me help." 

"I kidnapped you, Peter," said the tall man, releasing him and backing away from him. 

"I could have left," Peter shouted. "Don't be stubborn please!" He looked into Wade's eyes, still trying to open the cage. "He'll kill you," he said more softly. 

Wade looked at the ground, and turning around, he walked away from the cage, ignoring the calls of the other. If Peter got hurt from this, it would be his fault and he knew it, and he would never forgive himself. He would try to protect him as long as he could. 

Peter huffed and pulled at the cage door a few more times to try to open it. When he saw that it was useless, he sat down in the cage and leaned his head against one side. "And you'll listen to him?" He asked the horse-cage. "I can give you better oil baths than his." The cage ignored him and Peter huffed again. 

~ * ~

They were all ready, staring at the front door in attack positions, while from the other side, the group was using a log as a battering ram to open the door. 

"Sir," said a timid voice from outside. "I think you should just turn the knob." 

Flash grunted and walked to the door. "Kas, for God's sake, they would never be so..." The door opened and they found themselves in a completely dark foyer, only furniture and abandoned utensils around them. 

"Are you sure we came to the right castle?" Asked a young man from behind. 

The muscular boy -Flash- rolled his eyes and turned to the other villagers. "Do you think I'm an idiot?" 

Clint looked at Mrs. May and they both nodded, placing metal plates on their heads like helmets and raising their forks in the air, they shouted, "Nooow!" 

In an instant, everyone began to attack. Frying pans spanking some of the people, pots placing themselves over their heads to leave them without visibility, combs and brushes pulling the hair of others and so on. 

Mrs. May was throwing hot tea at everyone who passed by and Nat with her feathers, gave them all allergy attacks. Sam tied a strip from side to side in one of the arches of the room so that those who passed by fell down, and each time they did, Clint would pounce on them to pinch them with his fork, while Sam sewed their shirts and pants so that they couldn't move. 

Thor came out of the kitchen with a wood hammer that is used to soften the meat and shouted, "Now you will know the fury of Mjölnir!" before he began to persecute three villagers. 

Steve found himself cornered by a man with a shovel in his hand, his gaze fixed on the candelabrum and smirking maliciously. The man raised the shovel to hit him and Steve closed his eyes to accept his fate when he heard a loud blow. 

He opened his eyes to meet the man on the floor and looking up, he found Tony flying with a propeller. "I only gave one kick and he's done? How weak," he said smiling and approaching Steve. "Are you okay?" 

The candelabrum felt his cheeks burning and not specifically by the fire in his head. "Yes, thank you," he said smiling and Tony winked, before turning his engine back on to continue kicking ass. 

Steve sighed as he hit another man with a pot lid he found nearby, and taking advantage of it to use it as a shield. 

~ * ~

Ellie has always been known to be a stubborn little girl, especially when she is barred from being part of a battle she is more than capable of fighting. So when Aunt May told her to hide, she did exactly the opposite. 

She started jumping toward the room where the sounds came from, when she heard Peter arguing with someone, or something. The girl looked around and saw him trying to get out of the horse-cage, talking softly to it and when this didn't work, he got back up to shake the door, until he sat down again when it didn't accomplish anything. 

"We could have a nice friendship," he said, glaring at the cage. Ellie chuckled and the boy looked at her, his eyes shining suddenly. "Ellie!" He screamed. "You need to help me, please." 

The girl looked around and approached Peter. "Why are you in here?" she asked. "The battle is over there." 

Peter sighed and smiled. "I know, but it's a long story, help me out and then I'll explain." 

Ellie nodded and looked around, there was no key nearby and she knew this horse was as stubborn as a mule. She laughed at her inner joke and then shook her head. "I'll go get some help and I'll come back right away." 

Peter nodded. "Thanks, Ellie," he said softly. "Just hurry up, please." 

She nodded as well and kept hopping to find a way or someone who could help them. 

~ * ~

Flash escaped all the madness in the lower part of the castle to go up to find the beast. He had to eliminate it because Peter seemed to be in love with him and Flash couldn't allow that. The boy was his and no one else's. 

He went on, throwing open doors until he reached the east wing, where Wade's room was. He opened the door slowly and found him, sitting next to a rose. Wade stood up slowly, with his hands up. 

"Tell your people to stop," Wade began. "It's me you want, nobody else has to suffer." 

Flash laughed loudly and pointed to him with his sword. "Stop playing the victim and attack like the beast you are." 

He slashed with his sword and cut Wade in the chest, who growled in pain, but did not even try to defend himself. Flash felt a great anger over this. He needed for the creature to look like a monster, not like a little kid who was wounded. 

"Attack!" He shouted, swooping over him, and pulling him toward the terrace. "Show your true self, beast." 

~ * ~

Jarvis was running from side to side under his master, so that in case the propeller stopped, he could catch him, but Tony didn't seem to care, flying even higher. 

Jarvis sighed and sat on the floor. He decided that the moment he heard his master scream, he would run to him. Until then, he would just sit there. He felt a tap on his foot and turned his gaze to the source. It was a small cup, who was hopping as she tried to get his attention. 

Jarvis tilted his head to the side and leaned his metallic face closer to the girl. "Hi, little one," he said, lifting her in his hand. "Do you need anything?" 

The girl nodded and cleared her throat. "My name is Ellie," she said, giving a small bow "And I need you to help me release Peter." 

Jarvis stood up immediately, with the girl in his hand. "Tell me where.” 

~ * ~

Flash was on Wade, hitting him as he lay on the terrace, but the other didn't seem to be close to defending himself. So Flash decided to attack the side he knew would unleash his anger. "Do you think that beautiful boy could ever love you?" 

He tore the cloak off him, making his ugliness visible in the moonlight. Wade looked away immediately, trying to hide his face behind his hands and Flash laughed like a rumble of thunder. 

"Look at you," he shouted loudly getting back up. "A horrible monster," Flash cut him with the sword again and Wade growled, looking at him angrily. 

Flash smiled, he was achieving it. "You're a beast, and beasts are not loved." He cornered him against the edge of the terrace, smiling darkly, while Wade looked at him with sad eyes, but Flash would not be carried away by that act. So he continued pushing Wade, who slipped over the edge and fell with a heavy blow on one of the landings. 

"Besides," Flash jumped on him, placing the sword on his neck. "Why should he be with someone like you when he has me?" 

Wade snarled at him and pulled him off, both rolling until they ended on a cliff, where Wade stood over him, his hands on Flash's neck. "Shut up!" 

~ * ~

Jarvis and Ellie came to the place where Peter was, the boy was sitting cross-legged inside the cage, sliding a finger on the floor of it and resting his cheek on the palm of his other hand, annoyance drawn on his face. When he looked up and recognized Jarvis with the little cup in his hand, a huge smile appeared on his face and he jumped to his feet. 

"Jarv, you must get me out of here, please." The robot sighed and looked up at the sky. Why were his masters always getting into trouble? 

He approached the cage and began to check it, the horse-cage turned to show his back and huffed, annoyed. Jarvis looked at Ellie confused and the girl shrugged. 

"Well, we metals have our weak point," Jarvis said, placing the girl on the ground. "Jump to the door," he whispered to her. "and when I tell you, you try to open it." 

Ellie nodded and jumped to the door. Jarvis settled under the cage and began to search there, tickling the horse and trying not to get kicked by him. While this was happening, Peter was almost spinning inside the cage and trying to hold Ellie with his hands between the railings. 

The cage stood on its two back legs and Jarvis shouted. "Now!" 

Ellie started to pull the door and Peter pushed from inside, until the door gave way and the boy continued to fall forward onto the ground. The cage got angry and kicked Jarvis, who ended up pinned to the wall. 

Ellie and Peter shrugged at the other and Jarvis simply pulled his head back. "What have I done to deserve this?" 

"I'm sorry, Jarv," Peter said, giving him a hand to help him to his feet. "But thank you, you're the best." 

"That was fun," Ellie said with a laugh and Jarvis sighed again while standing up. 

Peter turned to her and smiled. "Now we must find Wade." 

~ * ~

Flash was still under Wade, but the beast was not putting much effort into its attack, it seemed almost resigned, sad. But Flash needed his anger to come out, let everyone see his true monstrosity, especially when he looked up and met Peter's gaze, watching them from the terrace with fear and concern. 

Flash turned his gaze back to Wade, smiling broadly "You're pathetic," he continued. He still had enough air in his lungs, because Wade's hands were not even pressing that hard. "Falling in love with someone who would never fall for you." 

Wade growled and this time the pressure on his fists grew, his eyes filled with anger and sadness. "I said, shut up!" He cried "Stop, please." His voice broke, but he didn't stop the pressure, his eyes filling with tears. 

"Wade, stop!" 

Wade froze. Peter's voice called him and he was sure he heard him. He looked up and met Peter's worried eyes on him. Wade's widened "Peter?" 

"Don't do it," Peter continued, leaning closer to the edge. "Please don't kill him." 

Wade turned to look at the young man under his weight, his hands surrounding Flash's neck, who was beginning to turn purple. Wade let go of him immediately, pulling himself off and looking into his hands. _'I'm a monster,'_ he thought in horror. 

Flash began to cough, turning to lean on his arms, while Peter was coming down the roof to where they were. The boy approached Wade, who looked away, ashamed of himself. Peter bit his lip and turned to Flash, who was slowly getting up. He went over to help him and Flash leaned on him, hugging him tightly. "Peter!" he said, sounding almost frightened "How good that you came. That beast was about to kill me." 

Peter frowned and let go, glaring at him, "Now," he said in a very serious tone. "You'd better go, Flash. I know this is all your fault." 

The other young man looked at him confused, his eyes open in indignation. "But, couldn't you see what just happened? He was going to kill me!" 

"I'm sure you had something to do with it." Peter kept his eyes cold and the other became more serious. 

"He is a monster," Flash screamed "And he must die." 

"That's enough!" Peter shouted, approaching the other to glare more at him. "The only monster here is you." 

Flash looked at him with fury exploding in his temples and his cheeks red from anger because of Peter's continued rejection. It was not possible that he was rejected so often. Him? It was a joke. He was about to take Peter by the hand and drag him back to the village with him, even force him to marry him, when a big rock hit him on the head and he saw little birds before he collapsed. 

Peter looked up in confusion and saw Clint shrugging with Challa, Mrs. May, Steve, his father, Nat, Ellie, and Jarvis next to him. Peter smiled and then heard Wade cough behind him, so he turned around and quickly knelt beside him. "He hurt you," he said, looking at the blood on Wade's suit. 

Peter tore off a piece of his shirt and tried to press it on the worst wound on Wade's stomach, but he knew it was not working, as Wade seemed to be losing color in his skin. 

Mrs. May, Steve and Clint turned to look at the rose, two simple petals was what remained within the bright dome. 

Wade smiled weakly at Peter and with all his might, he removed a glove from one of his hands and lifted it to brush a finger on the boy's soft cheek. Peter leaned into the touch and closed his eyes. 

"Thank you for everything, Petey," Wade said between coughs. "You have given me the best moments of my life." 

Peter opened his eyes and shook his head desperately, trying to keep pressing on the wound. "You'll be fine," he said softly. "Stop talking like you're saying goodbye." 

Wade kept smiling as his eyelids slowly closed. "You're too stubborn." 

Peter chuckled and moved closer, placing Wade's head on his lap and with his face hovering over the other’s to protect Wade from the rain. "And you're intolerable," he replied. "You'll live, you'll see." 

"At least I know you're okay," Wade continued, his voice getting more distant. "At least..." he coughed again and Peter grabbed his hand tightly, so Wade smiled again. "At least I got to see you one last time." 

The hand that Peter had between his own slipped to the floor and Wade's light-blue eyes disappeared behind his heavy lids, just as his breathing gradually subsided. Peter shook his head and began to shake him, with tears in his eyes. "No, Wade, please don't go." 

Mrs. May turned to look at the rose again, a single petal about to fall was all that remained. 

"Don't leave me," Peter insisted, and when the other didn't respond, he took a long breath. "Don’t you understand stubborn? I love you." 

The last petal of the rose fell and Steve, Clint, Nat, Tony and May looked at each other resigned, tears in their eyes as they looked back at their defeated master. They were going to enter the castle again, when flashes of different colors began to fall from the sky. They stopped to watch with surprise along with the others on the terrace. 

Peter was still crying, his face buried in Wade's chest beneath him, when he heard sounds different from the rain around him, as if the stars were crashing against the terrace. Peter pulled his head up and looked around confused. Apparently the stars had decided to come down to earth. 

Wade's body began to glow, and Peter pulled away with a gasp, as the big man began to rise in the air, his body wrapping in what remained of his cloak, the fabric becoming larger than it was. His body began to brighten, a strong golden glow surrounding him and the open wounds of his skin disappearing, beside the lumps of tumors and some scars, but not all, for many remained in place, his head remained bald, but he no longer had open wounds on it. The color of his skin turned almost pastel pink, leaving behind the yellowish that used to give him a sick appearance, and his lips were no longer dry and cracked, but they regained volume and softness. 

Slowly Wade's body returned to the floor and Peter looked at him from where he was sitting, waiting for a reaction. Wade again took a long breath and slowly got up, looking at his hands which still had some scars, but not as exaggerated as before, his skin was not uneven and the wounds and tumors that had previously caused him pain, now didn't exist. 

He turned to Peter, who was staring at him with wide-eyed. "Peter?" He asked, not knowing if this was a dream or a kind of trance after death. But looking around, he realized that he was still at the castle. 

Peter got up slowly and looked at him carefully, coming closer as he tried not to make too much noise. When Wade looked at him too, Peter's face brightened, for these were truly Wade's eyes. The boy lunged at him, enveloping him in a tight hug. 

"I don't get it," murmured Wade. "I thought I would become a prince charming." 

Peter laughed and pulled his face away from Wade's neck to look into his eyes "I think you look like one." 

Wade smiled at him, but looked again at one of his hands. "I still have scars, not as bad as before, but..." 

Peter put a hand over his mouth and rolling his eyes, he spoke kindly. "True beauty is found within. I think the idea of the spell was also that you would learn how to love yourself,” he moved his hand to Wade’s cheek and continued. “Besides, a scar means the hurt is over.” 

Wade smiled and Peter did the same, slowly approaching until their lips met on the way and intertwined in a passionate kiss. The flashes surrounded them again, this time in red colors and the rain ceased, turning into fireworks that caused bursts of light that descended from the sky, which were gradually transforming everything around them. 

The castle ceased to be gray and stormy, giving rise to a beautiful, as if drawn from fairy-tale castle. Mrs. May, who was wiping away her happy tears, soon began to spin, and in a moment, she was once again the adult lady in the flesh, with her cute hat on her head, her beautiful silver hair and her old purple suit. 

To Nat and Clint happened the same, they were hugging each other, wiping their noses with the same handkerchief, and when they returned to their human form, they both looked at each other with wide eyes and wrinkled their noses when they saw the handkerchief that until a moment ago they were using together, with the rubbish of both noses. 

Ellie was jumping to see the others, and when she transformed, she almost fell over the edge of the terrace, but Jarvis managed to catch her in time. The brunette girl wrapped the robot in a big hug, laughing with happiness as the robot sighed with relief. 

Steve was next to Tony, who was holding him in his hands, and when his body transformed, he fell on Tony's arms in a bridal style. Both looked at each other with surprise and a strong blush rose to their cheeks. The blonde got down in one jump from the inventor's arms and they both giggled nervously, their cheeks burning and Tony scratching the back of his neck with some shyness. 

Peter and Wade broke from the kiss and started laughing when they saw the others. Then they climbed back onto the terrace and wrapped themselves in a strong embrace with everyone else, Mrs. May taking advantage of this to give kisses among all those who were nearby. 

~ * ~

The dance that they hadn't been able to finish before, was now taking place again in the ballroom, this time with more guests than before and more confidence on the part of the older dancer. 

Wade and Peter danced in the center of the room while others danced beside them, but those who shone were them, stealing kisses from time to time and laughing at nonsense that they whispered to each other, like the fools in love they were. 

Mrs. May observed this with great happiness, she loved those two. She was also dancing, but with someone younger, her cute niece, who kept smiling and looked incredibly beautiful in her pretty white dress. 

Stitched by Mr. Sam, like most of the suits and dresses the guests were wearing at the dance, because the man now had a famous clothing store in the village. 

Challa and Nat joined the dance floor, finding that they had many things in common, such as the attraction they felt for each other. 

Clint was talking to some young girls at the side of the room, the same ones that had melted before for Flash, now they had found an attractive blond who knew how to throw arrows at the heart. 

Speaking of Flash, the boy met a girl during his stay in the hospital. A pretty red-haired nurse who was not letting herself be ordered around by him and instead it was the opposite, her name was Mary Jane. 

The young Storm keeps sighing and drooling every time he sees Peter, but he keeps it a secret, for he knows that who really owns his heart is the beautiful and intelligent, blonde Gwen, who today was wearing a beautiful white dress with pink stripes, which provoked the young man to feel his body burning with love. 

Cletus Kasady found his happiness working in the library of Mr. Coulson, who assured him day by day that he was more than capable of doing many things, for he was very intelligent. Flash and Kas were still friends, but now he made himself respected more. 

Steve was standing in the ballroom room, watching them all dance, when someone cleared its throat next to him. He looked slowly to his side and found Tony with his cheeks completely red. 

"I wondered if," the inventor cleared his throat again, "If you wanted to dance with me this song." 

Steve blushed as well and smiled coyly at him, his head nodding quickly. "Yes, of course." 

Tony bowed slightly and offered him his arm, to which Steve chuckled, and they both jumped onto the dance floor. 

Peter laughed at this and shook his head. "Well, I guess we're not the only ones in love." 

Wade turned to look around and growled, but a grin was planted in his face. "Yeah, but," he leaned forward to touch noses with Peter. "No one has a partner as handsome as mine." 

They kissed, laughing as Peter wrapped his arms around Wade's neck, who responded by wrapping his around the boy's waist. "Not like mine," Peter said smiling and they kissed again, ignoring the others in the room, because at that moment it was as if they were the only ones that existed. 

**~ THE END ~**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all for reading this story and leaving your support <3 it was very fun to write it!
> 
> Let me know what was your favorite part :)


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